In a dramatic escalation of tensions following a catastrophic chemical fire, the Rockdale County, Georgia has filed a federal lawsuit against BioLab and its parent company. This lawsuit comes as a staunch response to the fire that erupted at BioLab’s Old Covington Highway, Conyers facility on September 29.

Rockdale County wants Conyers facility declared a public nuisance and demand significant compensation for damages. The county will try to BioLab’s facility “permanently shut down in Rockdale County” according to the county commissioner Sherri L. Washington.

The fire was a result of a sprinkler system malfunction that led to a chemical reaction and a subsequent fire. The plume of hazardous smoke caused unliveable conditions and forced an evacuation of 17,000 residents of the county. Over 70,000 residents were placed under a shelter-in-place order for several days and children couldn’t go to school for weeks.

The county has filed the lawsuit saying that it doesn’t want to risk another potential environmental calamity from the company that manufactures pool and spa water sanitization products.

According to their lawyer Shayna Sacks, details of the lawsuit were still being finalized, and the complaint will be filed “later this week”.

“Our primary focus will be BioLab and their parent company, KIK Consumer Products, and holding them accountable for any negligence or misconduct that we uncover,” their attorney told media houses.

County officials have accused BioLab of a long history of negligence, citing at least four incidents of this nature in the past two decades. They argue that the company’s continued operation poses a serious threat to public health and safety.

“BioLab has had at least four instances of negligence in the 20 years that it has operated in this community,” said Washington. “At this point, their risk to our community far outweighs any benefit that we could possibly gleam from their operation in this county.”

The lawsuit seeks damages for both the county and its residents, as well as the closure of the facility. The county has hired the Napolil Shkollnik Law Firm which has extensive experience representing municipalities in environmental cases to represent them in the legal action.

BioLab has issued a statement in response to the lawsuit, acknowledging the emergency response efforts and expressing commitment to supporting affected residents and businesses. However, the company has not commented on the specific allegations made in the complaint.

The lawsuit is expected to be a lengthy legal battle, with both sides likely to present evidence and arguments to support their respective positions. The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for the future of industrial operations in the area and the rights of communities to protect themselves from environmental hazards.