BioLab lawsuit: Rockdale deputies allege serious, lasting injuries from exposure to Conyers chemical fire

Two Rockdale County sheriff's deputies and a local resident are suing BioLab and several related companies over the September 2024 chemical fire in Conyers, claiming they suffered serious lung injuries after being exposed to the smoke plume.

The lawsuit, filed June 10 in Rockdale County Superior Court, alleges the company failed to provide timely hazard information, leaving first responders and neighbors unprotected. 

The complaint highlights specific claims for each plaintiff: Deputy Edwin Gonzalez claims he was ordered to work roadblocks in the smoke without proper protective equipment. According to the complaint, he was later diagnosed with severe lung disease and lost about 40% of his total lung capacity. 

Deputy Aaron Tate claims he was posted just 75 yards from the burning facility for 16 straight days. The suit says his home, 4.5 miles away, was also coated in chemical residue. 

Cachia Rose, a nearby resident, claims she inhaled the chemicals while running the morning of the fire. In court filings, she said she has since lost about 50% of her baseline lung function.

The complaint also claims Plant 12, the warehouse involved in the fire, held about 13.9 million pounds of chemicals at the time of the incident. That is more than double the 6.2 million pounds the lawsuit alleges BioLab told Rockdale County officials it would store there.

The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and unspecified financial damages.

CBS News Atlanta has reached out to BioLab for comment.