The intense heat in New York has caused some unusual incidents, including a bus that broke through a parking garage at Long Island. Photos capture the dramatic scene as the vehicle found itself precariously launched through the structure.
This event happened on Tuesday afternoon when temperatures soared to around 99 degrees Fahrenheit. The bus’s front was visibly elevated, having punched through the garage floor, while thankfully the driver emerged unscathed since there were no passengers aboard.
“It felt like we were experiencing something out of the ordinary,” remarked Ricky Cody, an attendant at the garage. He described how the noise startled everyone, leaving them bewildered about what had just occurred.
As the temperature climbed to about 96 degrees Fahrenheit in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday, another vehicle, a fire truck, also faced issues. It got stuck when the asphalt evidently gave way under one of its wheels.
Witnesses nearby seemed distressed, noting the bizarre sight of a fire truck immobilized in the heat. In the aftermath, the truck’s engine was isolated, leaving passersby concerned.
According to Jim McGowan from John McGowan and Sons, a nearly century-old paving company, these kinds of incidents, while currently alarming, aren’t entirely new during the summer months. He stated that on particularly hot days, surfaces can soften to the point where heavier vehicles sink into them, noting that blacktop can reach temperatures as high as 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
He explained that the direct sunlight combined with existing faults in the pavement might lead to such failures. “With the heat and weight of the vehicles, things can get complicated pretty quickly,” he added.
McGowan also mentioned that he’s seen a notable rise in similar incidents across the country this week, from cracked roads in the Dakotas to buckled pavement in Missouri, all attributed to oppressive heat waves.
Parts of the East Coast, including New Jersey and JFK Airport, have also reported breaking the 100-degree mark, with the New York City Department of Transportation confirming that the fire truck situation was tied to a sinkhole issue.
