People in the northern part of Rockdale County were ordered to evacuate and others were told to shelter in place with windows and doors closed.

For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut,” a statement said.

Some residents east of Atlanta are still sheltering in place on Monday, while more than 17,000 have been evacuated a day after a fire at a chemical plant produced lingering dark smoke and haze in the air that could be seen from miles away.

CONYERS, Ga. -- Thousands of people were told to stay home with their windows shut Monday after a Sunday fire at a Georgia chemical plant caused a chemical reaction that forced around 17,000 people to evacuate and left potentially harmful chlorine lingering in the air.

A chemical plant fire in Conyers, Georgia, on Sept. 29 released chlorine into the air, prompting a stay-in-place advisory for residents on Sept. 30.

Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated while others were told to shelter in place to avoid contact with a chemical plume after a fire at a chemical plant. Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel told reporters that a sprinkler head malfunctioned around 5 a.

A small fire on the plant’s roof was initially contained but reignited Sunday afternoon, authorities said. More than 90,000 residents east of Atlanta were told to keep sheltering in place Monday a day after a chemical plant fire sent a massive plume of dark smoke high into the sky that could been seen for miles.