VIDEO: Massive chemical plant fire causes chaos and evacuation in Rockdale County, Georgia

Authorities in Rockdale County, Georgia, ordered multiple evacuations due to a power plant fire. The county asked residents to stay in safe locations with their windows closed. It was not specified how many people were affected by the orders to evacuate or shelter in place.

"This information is based on air quality surveys conducted by EPA and EPD, which revealed the harmful irritant chlorine, which was detected in the air emitting from the incident location of Bio Lab. For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut," the county's official website explained in a statement.

The county published a list with the locations that have to be evacuated.

Marian McDaniel, chief of the Rockdale County Fire Department, explained that a failure in the sprinklers at the facility early in the morning caused the water to react with a chemical, unleashing the fire, per AFP.

Authorities described the outbreak at the plant, which is affiliated with the BioLab company, as small, although the chemical reaction gave off huge plumes of smoke. Images went viral on social media.

BioLab, which manufactures chemicals for swimming pools and spas, said in a statement sent to the local press that none of its employees were injured by the fire.