Crews respond to smoke coming from a building on Marietta Boulevard on July 22, 2026. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Firefighters and hazardous material units neutralized a chemical situation in northwest Atlanta on Wednesday morning after water mixed with plant fertilizer inside a single-story building.
What we know:
Atlanta Fire Rescue Department units rushed to a single-story building at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday following initial reports of a structure fire.
When firefighters arrived, they spotted smoke showing from the building.
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Chemical reaction sends smoke through Atlanta building
Firefighters contained a hazardous chemical reaction in West Midtown Atlanta on Wednesday morning after water came into contact with a commercial fertilizer component.
Crews quickly determined that no fire was burning inside. Instead, water had mixed with ammonium phosphate—a hazardous chemical used in plant fertilizers—creating a chemical reaction that produced smoke and an odor in the air.
Hazardous material teams contained the substance and are coordinating with property representatives to secure the facility.
What we don't know:
Investigators do not yet know how or where the water originated before making contact with the stored fertilizer chemicals.
Fire officials confirmed that while an odor remains present in the immediate area, the air is safe to breathe.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Atlanta Fire Capt. Andrew Anderson, who provided details during an on-scene news briefing.