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

A poisonous plume of chlorine from a manufacturing plant with a history of hazardous incidents led authorities to order tens of thousands of people to evacuate or huddle inside their homes Monday as authorities in the Atlanta area shut down schools and government offices.

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.

"If you have concerns, stay inside, close windows and doors, and turn off ventilation systems,” Atlanta's mayor advised

A chemical plant fire led to a massive plume of smoke and chemical contamination, leading officials to ask 17,000 people to evacuate.

More than 90,000 residents in a county east of Atlanta have been told to keep sheltering in place a day after a chemical plant fire sent a massive plume of dark smoke high into the sky that could been

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.

A weekend fire that sent a massive plume of dark smoke into the Georgia sky has led to complaints about a strong chemical smell and haze several miles away across metro Atlanta, where some schools canceled outdoor activities and residents living near the fire sheltered at home.