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Cars damaged, person hospitalized after rocks fall onto cars on I-66 from rock quarry blast

The roadways were littered with rocks and a nearby gym reported four rocks flew through their building.

WARREN COUNTY, Virginia — Several cars were damaged and one person was taken to a nearby hospital after rocks from a quarry blast landed on vehicles driving on Interstate 66 and Route 522 in Front Royal, Virginia Wednesday afternoon. 

According to Warren County Fire Marshall Gerry Maiatico, drivers started calling 911 for help around 1 p.m. after rocks began falling onto cars. 

Maiatico says eight cars were damaged by the falling rocks or driving over the rocks after they landed in the roadway. Eight people were assessed on the roadway and one person was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

The rocks reportedly came from a blasting operation at a nearby quarry. Maiatico explained that the quarry's containment was lost on debris called fly rock, causing it to fly onto the roadways. 

A video posted to Reddit showed the rocks flying through the sky before landing on other cars or in the roadway. 

The roadways were littered with rocks and a nearby gym reported four rocks flew through their building. While there were people inside the gym, no one was injured. 

Virginia State Police and the Warren County Sheriff's Office assisted with traffic control, diverting traffic from the east ramp of  I-66 onto Winchester Rd Rt 522.

The Virginia Department of Energy Division of Minerals and Mines is investigating the blast.

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