MULLICA HILL, N.J. — A tragic crash in the Mullica Hill section of Harrison Township claimed the lives of a longtime high school track coach and his wife Saturday evening after their SUV accelerated uncontrollably, slammed into a neighbor’s home, and burst into flames, authorities said. The shocking incident has left the community mourning the sudden loss of two well-known residents.
Police said the crash happened around 6:17 p.m. at a home on Banff Drive. Thomas Hengel, 72, was driving a 2020 Hyundai Palisade with his wife, Lisa Hengel, 61, when the vehicle suddenly sped up for reasons that remain unclear. According to Harrison Township Police Chief Ronald Cundey, the SUV struck a curb, crossed two front yards, and crashed through the exterior wall of a nearby house.
The impact sent the vehicle into the home’s living room, where it ignited a fire that quickly spread and engulfed both the SUV and much of the structure. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but the flames were intense. Thomas and Lisa Hengel, both residents of Mullica Hill, were pronounced dead at the scene, police confirmed.
Remarkably, no one inside the home was injured. Chief Cundey said the occupants were in the kitchen at the time of the crash and fire, calling their survival “a miracle.” Although the family escaped without physical harm, the house suffered extensive damage and has been declared uninhabitable. Officials said the displaced residents have since been relocated.
Investigators are now working to determine what caused the SUV to accelerate so suddenly. Authorities said a possible medical emergency involving the driver or a stuck gas pedal are among the scenarios being considered. The crash remains under investigation by the Harrison Township Police Department and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
Thomas Hengel was a deeply respected figure in the local sports community. A retired teacher at Clearview Regional High School, he coached boys and girls cross country and track for a combined 94 seasons. He also coached basketball and baseball during his long career, which began in 1981. Known as a legendary mentor and role model, Hengel was inducted into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. As news of the tragedy spread, tributes poured in honoring his decades of dedication to students and athletes, while friends remembered both Thomas and Lisa Hengel as kind, committed members of the community.
