The chairman of a Georgia environmental board died suddenly after complaining that he was having trouble breathing Tuesday during a meeting about the recent toxic chemical fire.
Kenny Johnson, a supervisor on the Soil and Water Conservation District board, had just finished speaking about the BioLab chemical fire in Conyers, about 25 miles east of Atlanta, when he collapsed in a hallway near the meeting room, as reported by FOX 5.
State Rep. Viola Davis, who is a trained nurse, performed CPR on Johnson while waiting for first responders to arrive. Johnson was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died.
The 62-year-old had reportedly been complaining that he was out of breath while giving his testimony at the board meeting, telling attendees, "Let me catch my breath," as reported by the Rockdale Citizen.
A statement from the Georgia House Democratic Caucus said that Johnson "complained of shortness of breath" before collapsing at the meeting in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building.
Davis said in a statement Tuesday, "Kenny dedicated years as the Soil and Water Conservation District representative and as an environmental justice advocate. His unwavering commitment to environmental justice and his testimony on the effects of the BioLab chemical fire on the community remain etched in our memories."
Johnson had been testifying about the Sept. 30 chemical fire at a BioLab plant. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tests revealed that chlorine was present in the air following the fire, which is extremely toxic. More than 17,000 residents had been ordered to evacuate while another 77,000 were told to shelter in place.
Before collapsing, Johnson expressed desire for a federal criminal investigation into the incident, the Citizen reported.
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