A massive afternoon fire ripped through an industrial yard in Conley on Wednesday, swallowing a line of tractor-trailers and pushing a thick plume of gray smoke across the southeast Atlanta area as firefighters rushed in to knock it down.
Atlanta News First reported that the flames broke out in the area of 4080 Bonsal Road in Conley. From above, the station’s First Alert chopper captured what it described as a “fleet of tractor trailers on fire.” At the time of that initial report, investigators had not yet identified what sparked the blaze.
Public property records list 4080 Bonsal Road as a 4.43-acre industrial parcel in DeKalb County, part of a Bonsal Road corridor lined with trucking, parts and manufacturing operations. LoopNet identifies the site as industrial, and nearby businesses include chemical and wood-treatment companies. Archival safety paperwork for one local supplier cites a facility at 3941 Bonsal Road and notes that some of its products contain chromic and arsenic acids.
Fire response and hazards
DeKalb County fire crews were reported to be on scene battling the flames and chasing down hot spots while officials continued to review what caused the fire. Atlanta News First provided the first on-the-ground coverage of the incident.
Material-safety documentation for the area’s wood-treatment operations warns that when certain treated-wood chemicals burn, they can give off “toxic gas,” underscoring the kind of inhalation risks industrial fires can pose for firefighters and anyone nearby; see Arch Wood Protection.
What to watch next
Key details are still missing. Officials have not yet released information on possible injuries, the extent of the damage or whether specialized hazardous-materials teams will be called in. This story will be updated as DeKalb County authorities and local outlets release more information.
