Couple in 'shock' after two die in garage crash in Te Puke

A couple are in "shock" after two people died when a car crashed into their garage.

John and Elena Crowley were asleep in their Te Puke home when a car came crashing on top of their garage, narrowly missing their house, shortly after 1.30am.

Two people died in the crash and two other people have moderate to minor injuries. The Serious Crash Unit is investigating. All four people were inside the vehicle, police said.

Elena Crowley said she and her husband were "still suffering from a bit of shock".

"I am just very thankful it didn't go into the house."

John Crowley said he heard a large bang at about 1.30am while he and his wife were sleeping at their home on No 1 Rd.

"It woke me up," he said. "It was solid and loud."

John Crowley said he got up and got changed before going out to see what had happened.

"By the time I got changed the neighbour was at the door telling me to ring 111," he said.

But Elena Crowley said she slept through the whole thing.

"I was still in a deep sleep, I sort of heard the bang but I just carried on sleeping."

She said it was the flashing lights coming through their bedroom window that eventually woke her up.

The Crowleys' garage, which had two cars parked inside, was badly damaged in the crash. Photo / George Novak

"It is sad. It didn't need to happen."

James Trevelyan, managing director Trevelyan Pack and Cool Ltd, said Trevelyans lost two "valuable members of our Vanuatu RSE family" this morning.

"They were tragically taken in a motor vehicle accident on No 1 Rd, Te Puke.

"We are currently supporting the remaining team in this trying time and our thoughts and sympathies are with the extended families back in Vanuatu."

Trevelyan said staff were supporting their Vanuatu employees and were feeding about 60 people from their campsite.

He said staff, including himself, had been to visit one of the victims who was still in Tauranga Hospital.

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said he woke up to a loud bang.

"I thought it was a tree crashing down," he said. "It shook the place."

Drone footage of the damage. Photo / George Novak

The neighbour said he and two other residents rushed across the road to see what had happened.

He said he saw people inside the car and tried to pull the back door open but it was jammed.

"It wasn't a nice sight to see to be honest," he said.

"We couldn't do anything. I feel for the people involved."

Western Bay of Plenty District Council councillor Grant Dally visited the scene this morning.

He said it was terrible news and that the council was working to reduce the speed limit on a number of roads due to the high number of accidents in the area.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board communications manager Diana Marriott said one 30-year-old man from Vanuatu remained stable in a hospital ward.

Another 31-year-old man from Vanuatu was treated and discharged from hospital.

The fatal incident comes after two men were killed in a horrific train crash in Pongakawa on June 19.

The Filipino community was still reeling after Chary Alonzo Sabalande, 34, and Roymark Solomon Bering, 32, died after the car they were travelling in was hit by a train.

Both men were living and working in the Western Bay of Plenty.