NORTH PLATTE - Two fires just minutes apart kept all three North Platte fire stations busy Friday night.

The largest of the two was at a local car dealership.

Fire crews responded to Bridge Street Auto at 302 West Rodeo Road.

The dark cloud of smoke could be seen from the Buffalo Bill viaduct.

North Platte Fire Department Battalion Chief Jason Trimble says crews with Station Two were on their way to Bailey Yard for a rail car that caught on fire when they spotted the fire at Bridge Street Auto.

Trimble says when they arrived on scene the garage was engulfed in flames.

They even heard several explosions.

The owner's son-in-law tells us a mechanic was inside working on a car, when he dropped his wrench on some fuel that was spilled on the ground and caused the spark.

"When you have three vehicles, shop chemicals, gas, oil, propane, and fuel all in there, you've got a lot of different things that can happen," Trimble said. "You could have a rupture of gas tanks, oil burning, it elevates what we are doing."

Traffic was blocked off in both directions on Rodeo Road while crews put out the fire.

Luckily, the mechanic made it out safely.

The building did receive extensive smoke and fire damage.

However, it's believed the owners will recover from the accident.

The fire at Bailey Yard was contained in less than five minutes.