A minivan driver crashed into seven vehicles along Allen Street in Allentown on Monday night before he hit a natural gas meter and slammed into two front porches, police said.

"I heard a big bang and looked out the window," said Daisy Isley, who lives in a row home just west of 10th and Allen steets. "When I came out, I saw my porch was gone and that car was on the sidewalk."It's something unbelieveable."The car, owned by a neighbor, was one of the vehicles damaged by the minivan, which ended up a battered wreck in front of Isley's home on Allen Street.The minivan driver was extricated from the vehicle by firefighters and taken to a local hospital.Isley's porch appeared to get the worst of the crash as its support post was knocked out. No one but the driver was hurt, city police Sgt. Tony Alsleden said.The collisions, which started about 7:10 p.m. at 15th and Allen streets and led east to 10th and Allen, forced firefighters to evacuate a half-block while UGI checked to be sure gas had not leaked into the homes.Three cars were hit at 15th and Allen streets, Alsleden said. Four vehicles and two porches were hit near 10th and Allen streets.Isley was standing outside in the bitter cold when police and firefighters asked her to let them inside her home to test for gas. She was with them about 5 minutes before she came back out.There was no gas in her house, not even in the basement, but she still had to wait for fire officials to allow her to return home, she said.Isley said her car was safe in a rear garage when the van hit her porch.The van's windshield was shattered and most of the van was badly damaged. All around the vehicle, glass fragments were scattered in the street.Police still were investigating the series of crashes Monday night.Distributed by MCT Information Services