Residents living near First Avenue and Hazel Street were forced from their homes Monday afternoon after a large RV plowed into a house, sparking a gas leak.

Fortis crews were on-scene for most of the day and night, digging to clear access to the gas line leading to the house so it could be shut off.

In the meantime, Chilliwack Firefighters and RCMP cordoned off the area and established an evacutation perimeter for safety reasons, that was a couple of blocks on all sides.

A Chilliwack Fire Department crew quickly established a water supply and deployed hand lines to the area, to provide support to gas crews as the line was being worked on.

Evacuated residents were taken to the First Avenue Christian Assembly Church while crews worked to shut off the gas line.

At least two vehicles were involved in a crash prior to the gas line rupture.

The house was hit on Nov. 1 2016 as well, when an SUV careened through the side hedge. There was very little damage in that crash, and no reports of serious injury.