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

A day after a massive chemical fire sent a cloud of toxic chlorine gas into the atmosphere, more than 90,000 residents in Georgia's Rockdale County were told to remain sheltered indoors on Monday.