Police say speed and road conditions were a factor when a driver lost control of his car and slammed into a home in Oak Bay.
The crash happened just after 8 p.m. Thursday night in the 2000-block of Beach Drive, according to police.
Investigators say a 24-year-old male driver was trying to pass a vehicle when he lost control of his car, crossing into the oncoming lane before jumping a curb.
The car then struck a tree, went through a hedge and ran into a house, striking and damaging a natural gas metre in the process.
The resulting gas leak led Oak Bay firefighters to evacuate five homes until Fortis BC could repair the break.
Police say there was a passenger in the vehicle at the time, and both them and the driver suffered minor injuries in the crash.
Impairment wasn't a factor but police say speed and the fact that the pavement was slick at the time played a role.
The driver was issued a violation ticket for driving with undue care and attention and failure to display a new driver sign.
The vehicle was not driveable and towed from the scene, while damage to the house has yet to be fully assessed. No one in the home was injured.
