Bad brakes may have caused a runaway minivan to plow into a house in Butler this morning, city police said.

The driver suffered only minor injuries and no one in the house on Liberty Street was hurt.

The accident about 10 a.m. also caused a natural gas leak, forcing nearby residents to leave their homes for precautionary reasons.

Police said Dennis John, 41, of Butler had just come from a visit to the post office on South Main Street, and he was on his way home when he lost control of his van downhill on Brush Street.

He told police he believed his GMC Safari experienced a mechanical problem, specifically the brakes.

“He said he tried to put (the van) in park and tried the emergency brake,” said police Capt. James Hollobaugh.

The van, however, did not stop.

The vehicle continued through the intersection at Liberty Street, first hitting the porch post at a vacant house and then the corner of the next-door house that was occupied.

Police did not immediately have the names of the occupants.

John had minor injuries and refused medical treatment.

The Butler Fire Department helped police notify other residents of the leaking gas.

Authorities after 11 a.m. were still waiting for a gas company crew to arrive and shut off the leak.

Hollobaugh said drugs or alcohol are not suspected factors in the accident.

He said a witness appeared to back up John's account that brake failure may have caused the wreck.

The investigation continues, Hollobaugh said.