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.

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

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.