A towering two-alarm fire that tore through a recycling facility in Lorton forced evacuations, shut down Richmond Highway in both directions, and left several people hospitalized Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 14, officials said.

Firefighters were called around 2:27 p.m. to the 9900 block of Richmond Highway, where a massive pile of recycling material was engulfed in flames with one worker trapped inside a crane, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

Crews rescued the worker, who was taken to the hospital along with a firefighter for evaluation. Later, officials said four additional civilians were transported with non-life-threatening injuries as smoke and heat blanketed the area.

The Fairfax County Police Department assisted with traffic control as Richmond Highway was shut down in bot

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