Vehicle fire erupts after crash near Renaissance Boulevard
Manchester Township, NJ – Morning traffic near a residential stretch turned tense when a sedan veered off the roadway, slammed into snow embankments, and erupted into flames after the driver reported a sudden mechanical failure.
The crash happened Thursday at about 8:05 a.m. near Courtney Lane and Renaissance Boulevard. Officers arriving at the scene found a black 2011 Hyundai Sonata fully engulfed in fire and confirmed the vehicle was unoccupied. A safety perimeter was established as multiple fire units rushed in to contain the blaze.
According to police, the driver, 49-year-old Daryl Rosenblatt of Toms River, said he experienced a complete brake failure while traveling northbound on Renaissance Drive. Rosenblatt reported seeing smoke coming from the front of the vehicle as he approached the stop sign at Renaissance Drive and Renaissance Boulevard.
In an attempt to stop, Rosenblatt intentionally steered the vehicle into a snow embankment before turning onto Renaissance Boulevard, where the car struck a second embankment on the passenger side and came to rest just before Courtney Lane. After Rosenblatt exited the vehicle, it caught fire moments later.
Fire crews from the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, and Manchester Career Fire Department responded and extinguished the flames. No injuries were reported.
Due to the extent of the fire damage, police said the braking system could not be tested and impact damage could not be fully assessed. Investigators said the fire does not appear suspicious. The crash remains under investigation by Patrolman Sage Sysol of the Manchester Township Police Department.
Key Points
- A single-vehicle crash ended with a Hyundai Sonata fully engulfed in flames
- The driver reported complete brake failure before striking snow embankments
- No injuries were reported and the fire is not considered suspicious
