ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — Several class action lawsuits have been filed against BioLab after a fire at its chemical plant in Rockdale County.

Attorneys representing people who live near the facility say negligence led to the fire that’s still affecting thousands and that what happened is unacceptable.

“It never should have happened. I never thought I’d see the day that Georgia is on fire. When I used to work for the EPA, our job was to investigate tragedies like this. And now the air in Georgia is being destroyed,” Attorney L. Chris Stewart told Channel 2 Action News.

Stewart’s law firm filed a class action lawsuit Monday in the U.S District Court for Northern District of Georgia.

In the lawsuit, attorneys claim negligence led to the chemical fire that sent harmful fumes into the air. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes on Sunday.

Investigators say it appeared the building’s sprinkler system reacted with the chemical inside and that potentially sent toxic fumes into the sky. Since the accident, many people in the area have reported respiratory issues along with burning and itchy eyes.