A hazardous chemical fire at a Conyers plant closes I-20 and forces evacuations, marking the third major incident in seven years.

A fire broke out at a chemical plant just east of Atlanta Sunday, prompting officials to ask residents in the area to evacuate. At around 5 a.m., a sprinkler head malfunctioned at the BioLab plant in Conyers, "causing a mixture with a water reactive chemical," according to Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel.

A fire at a Georgia chemical plant apparently caused by a sprinkler head malfunction Sunday morning is forcing evacuations and road closures in the area, according to Rockdale County officials.

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.

A sprinkler malfunction combined with a “water-reactive chemical” in the plant set off the plume, prompting evacuations for large parts of Conyers, Ga., officials said.

Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated while others were told to shelter in place Sunday to avoid contaminants from a chemical plant fire that sent dark, billowing gray smoke into the air.