Forest Park chemical fire: Reactor malfunction sparks fire, hazard concerns

Chemical fire prompts evacuation at Forest Park plant

A malfunction in a chemical reactor at the Polynt Composites plant triggered an emergency evacuation in Forest Park on Thursday morning. The fire, which broke out on the third floor of the facility at 71 Barnett Road, was quickly contained by automatic sprinklers and local fire crews.

FOREST PARK, Ga. - An emergency alert for a Forest Park neighborhood has been lifted, and conditions have returned to normal following a chemical fire at a local plant Thursday morning.

Police and fire crews responded around 11:21 a.m. to the plant at 71 Barnett Road. 

What we know:

Fire crews responded to the Polynt plant after a reactor malfunctioned. While officials initially issued an evacuation and shelter-in-place order for those within a half-mile radius, city leaders now say there are no remaining concerns regarding air or water quality.

Firefighters arrived on the scene quickly and reported that the flames were extinguished within minutes. However, the potential for chemical exposure kept the surrounding area on high alert for several hours as police blocked off access to Barnett Road.

What they're saying:

 According to Plant Manager Grant Johnson, the incident began with an equipment failure.

"Late this morning, we had an upset condition with one of our reactors inside the plant," Johnson said.

For neighbors like Jimmy Damian, the news was a cause for immediate alarm. Damian, who lives just down the street from the facility, rushed to check on his family as soon as he heard the report.

Forest Park chemical plant fire update

Forest Park fire officials and plant managers update a fire at a chemical plant near the Atlanta airport which has forced people to shelter in place. 

"I was shocked and concerned," Damian said. "It was some chemical fire at some factory that happened, and it caused a fire and everything."

Damian noted the difficulty of reaching his relatives during the height of the response, stating, "The road was blocked. No one could go around or pass."

Dig deeper:

The facility, located near Old Dixie and Kennedy roads just east of the Atlanta airport, produces polymer and composite resins.

What we don't know:

Despite the "all clear" from officials, Damian remains worried about the long-term implications of living near the plant. "It’s very concerning because it could cause damage to our lungs and everything and probably cause some other damage that could be irreversible," he said.