Firefighters Battle Athens Chemical Plant Blaze

Firefighters battled a chemical fire in Athens-Clarke County.

Firefighters say the flames began around midnight at J and J Chemicals on Trans Tech Drive.

Athens-Clarke County fire officials say when firefighters arrived flames from the facility were already several hundred feet in the air.

The company makes chemicals for cleaning products.

Firefighters thought they had the blaze contained when later a container holding chemicals went up in flames, re-igniting the fire.

Firefighters say they are conceed that some of the chemicals may have been released from the building. Environmental teams are on scene surveying the situation.

Chuck Gulley, coordinator of the Athens-Clarke Emergency Management Agency, says employees of the adjacent McAnn Aerospace Machining Corp. were evacuated.

Gulley says people who live near the plant should consider staying indoors until the dangers from formaldehyde and other chemicals are evaluated.

No employees were inside at the time the fire started. Officials say the building is a total loss.

It is not known what caused the fire.