Ga. 138 reopens 5 hours after haz-mat incident

Clayton County authorities reopened a road about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday after a hazardous materials incident at at Clayton County dry cleaners left one man hospitalized and caused authorities to evacuate a dozen businesses.

Clayton Fire Chief Alex Cohilas said the owner of Femrose Cleaners, on Ga. 138 near the Clayton-Fulton border, was found unconscious about 1 p.m. in a pool of an unknown liquid. The man, whose name was not released, is in serious condition at Southern Regional Medical System in Riverdale, Cohilas said.

Clayton County haz-mat teams arrived and stopped all westbound traffic on Ga. 138 for about five hours. A dozen businesses in Crossroads Plaza and the Center for Progressive Training, a nearby traning school, were evacuated.

Union City resident Marvin Sands had stopped by to pick up his clothes and was still waiting for the go-ahead to return to his car three hours later.

Sands recalled a similar incident a week ago when he stopped by the cleaners to pick up clothes and noticed a strange smell. He said he stood at the counter 20 minutes before the owner of the store finally appeared. The owner said he fell asleep while working in the back of the store, Sands said.

The public health department will inspect the dry cleaners today, authorities said.