A massive fire Sunday night destroyed two North Columbia Street businesses and damaged a third, leaving it closed for at least a week or longer.

Milledgeville Fire Department was called out about 8:15 p.m. Sunday after Pig In A Pit Bar-B-Que restaurant was reported on fire, Milledgeville Fire Department Chief Tom Dietrich said.

When fire crews arrived moments later, flames were shooting through the roof of Pig In A Pit and the blaze continued to move toward Discount Mattress next door, Chief Dietrich said.

“The roof was already burning through and either collapsed right before or shortly after we got there,” Chief Dietrich said.

Witness Gloria Reece reported hearing a loud explosion.

“I was eating across the street and heard a big boom. I thought two cars had collided. The next thing I knew, I saw smoke across the street and by the time I got to my car I could see fire coming up from the back. It was like a giant fireball,” Reece said.

There were several explosions including one large one that shook the ground, Chief Dietrich said.

“A 100-pound propane cylinder blew up,” Chief Dietrich said. “One blew its valve off and another split, which was the loudest explosion.”

The cylinder that split could have potentially hurt someone if circumstances had been different, Chief Dietrich said.

“It could have turned into a missile,” Chief Dietrich said. “There was enough roofing material holding it in place that it didn’t move away. It could have traveled 200 to 300 feet easily, hurting firefighters and even pedestrians who were watching the fire from across the street.”

It took a large amount of water to extinguish the blaze, Chief Dietrich said.

“We were using about 2,500 to 3,000 gallons of water a minute,” Chief Dietrich said. “It is one of largest fires we have had in a while.”

A second unit from Milledgeville Fire was called to the scene as well as units from Baldwin County Fire Department stations at North Baldwin and Hardwick to battle the blaze, Dietrich said.

“We have automatic aid and we can also ask for additional manpower from the county,” Dietrich said.

Mattresses inside Discount Mattress served as fuel for the fire.