TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Some Ohio residents have been ordered to evacuate because of the release of a chemical that can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth and skin, and other residents have been told to shelter in place, the city fire department said Wednesday.

People within a 1-mile radius of the “hazardous materials release” were ordered to evacuate at about 10:50 p.m. Tuesday. The shelter-in-place order was issued for Toledo residents within a 3-mile radius beyond that area.

Dense fog and haze hindered visibility in the city of about 265,000 people and local news stations reported smelling a plastic-like odor.

The dense fog lingered this morning. The National Weather Service has issued a a dense fog advisory until 10 a.m. Once the fog clears out, it will make way for sunny skies through the rest of the day, but winds will remain light and variable. Winds will mostly be coming from the northeast, but low wind speeds will not help much in clearing out the chemicals in the air any time soon, The Weather Channel meteorologist Miriam Guthrie said.

“The release is ongoing, and crews continue to monitor the situation,” the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department said in a statement posted online early Wednesday.

(MORE: Nor'easter lashes coast from Carolinas to Northeast)

Get More of Our News on Google

Set The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

The department did not name the chemical. It said symptoms of overexposure include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting. It advised residents to contact a medical professional if they believe they are having a reaction to exposure.

“You can't tell fog from the release by looking, so please don't rely on how the air looks,” the department said in the news release. “If you are outside the evacuation or shelter-in-place zones and smell an unusual odor, please stay indoors, close windows and doors and turn off ventilation that draws in outside air.”

Some schools were closed Wednesday and others delayed opening.

One elementary school was opened to provide temporary shelter and buses were stationed to provide shelter as needed for residents.