Neighbors were frustrated as they tried to return to homes near Biolab

About 17,000 people were in the evacuation zone tonight, with others taking protective measures after a serious chemical fire at the nearby Biolab.

Courtney Francisco from Channel 2 left Irwin Bridge Road on Sunday evening, where people trying to evacuate faced extensive road closures and detours for miles outside the safety zone.

She watched as a person sped past a barricade, prompting a police officer to chase him, turn on the sirens and get him to return.

Around the evacuation zone, some people tried to flee, while others sought refuge in their homes just behind the barricades.

“There’s a lot going on at the moment,” said one driver.

Pretti Brown, who was stuck at the Irwin Bridge Road closure, said: “I need a mask, you know what I mean, to keep us safe and this just doesn't help.”

The intersection is approximately 4.5 miles from Biolab. Before dark, Francisco also met Macie Corley, who was worried about her grandmother's health.

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“She has health concerns, just a little bit, yeah,” Corley said.

Neighbors expressed frustration at the lack of information about what they were inhaling and what side effects it had.

“I think it’s unfair because we’re the people who are affected by it, not the one spreading the information,” Corley added.

Drivers also wanted more answers.

“No information from police officer to police officer. Don’t hold up traffic, keep driving and I have no idea where I’m going,” Brown said.

Francisco witnessed semi-trucks driving around county road curves and spoke to people begging deputies for access to pets, children and home health aides.

“It was a nightmare. It took three hours and I'm still not there and my GPS says another 45 minutes or so,” Brown said.

Francisco said she saw officers with lights and sirens escorting two inmate transport vans and was waiting to hear from Rockdale County officials whether the county jail, located on the edge of the containment zone, had been evacuated.

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