A 22-year-old man from Beauharnois has been charged with multiple crimes after a car was driven through a house and smashed into a second home.

The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday on Lac Saint Louis Rd. in Lery.

The occupant of the home was awake, but those living nearby were woken up by what they said sounded like an explosion.

"I heard a noise that sounded like a bomb exploding," said neighbour Gilles Tranquille. 

Police have accused Yannick Provonost of stealing a car and driving entirely through a house, only coming to a stop with the vehicle partway into a second house.

No residents of the homes were injured, and although the driver suffered serious injuries he walked away from the crash. Police arrested him about 100 m from the scene and took him to hospital.

Provonost was charged Wednesday with theft of a vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, and violating probation conditions.

"By a miracle there was a man in the first house and he was up, and that is actually his room, so he was making a coffee at midnight. So the car went right through his room and finished in the second house just beside the first house," said Chateauguay police spokesperson Nathalie Langevin.

Four teenagers on the second floor of the second house jumped off a balcony to escape injury.

The speed limit on the street is 30 km/h, but it is evident the car was travelling much faster up until the point of impact.

Residents say that nobody respects the speed limit.

"We've lived here for over 40 years and the town, and particularly the mayor right now, they've done everything they can to slow the traffic down," said Terry Callahan. "They've put in speed bumps... they've put in stop signs... they've put in little posters of people with their kids... Nothing seems to work with some of these people."

Chateauguay police closed the street overnight and it remained closed at noon as the investigation continued.