A chemical plant fire that forced the evacuation of Downtown Conyers Tuesday could burn for days, according to the state fire commissioner's office.
The evacuations spanned from Sigman Road to Highway 138, as a massive chemical plant fire filled the air with potentially dangerous fumes Tuesday. The roof of the massive complex started to collapse by noon.
The mandatory evacuation spans for a mile radius north of I-20, between Georgia 138 at West Avenue and as far north as Sigman Road. It affects downtown Conyers and all adjacent neighborhoods, authorities said.
School buses have been dispatched to pick up affected residents and transport them to evacuation centers set up at J.H. House Elementary School and Heritage High School. Conyers police officers are manning each bus to assist the evacuation effort.
All 168 residents at the Seasons Health and Rehabilitation Center were evacuated onto Rockdale County school buses after the threat of shifting air posed a danger, according to the manager of the health center.
Critical patients were taken to the Traditions Nursing Home in Lithonia, Ga. Non-critical patients will be transported to Heritage High School, where an evacuation center has been set up.
Rockdale police are also advising people who need help in evacuating to call Conyers police or the Rockdale County Sheriff
