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As the sun lifts above the horizon Wednesday morning, so will the shelter-in-place advisory for Rockdale County residents.
People living near the Conyers chemical plant that caught fire on Sunday have been advised to shelter in place every evening through early morning until Friday. The large cloud of smoke — now caused by a chemical reaction, not a fire — has been shifting based on weather conditions.
People who are especially susceptible to irritant gas, such as those with respiratory problems, those who are pregnant, children and the elderly, should limit their time outdoors.
The county, with a population of more than 90,000, had been told to shelter in place after the fire broke out Sunday. About 17,000 of those people were placed under evacuation orders in Conyers. The broad shelter-in-place order was lifted Monday evening as officials pivoted to advising residents to hunker down again early Tuesday if winds pushed the plume overhead.
By Tuesday afternoon, officials recommended that residents shelter in place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. until Friday.
Clouds and haze are expected to linger in Conyers following the fire that raised concerns about air quality across metro Atlanta and Georgia and has already led to several lawsuits from residents.
Rockdale County government offices will be closed the entire week. Rockdale County schools were already closed this week for fall break. Neighboring Newton County Schools, closed since Monday, will reopen Wednesday on a two-hour delay.
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