Footage was captured of a car being launched into the air while trying to drive down a buckled road in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
After a heat wave over the weekend, two roads in Cape Girardeau—Albert Blackwell and Siemers Drive—experienced extreme buckling, with the concrete cracking and lifting up into a triangular shape.
A pedestrian on Albert Blackwell captured video of a car approached one spot where the road was buckling. The driver kept going, but the road launched the car into the air, with the front end coming down pretty hard on the other side.
Blackwell said of the incident:
"When I went back to get a front angle of cars going over the smaller buckle, the road exploded and rose over 18 inches, sending a car airborne."
You can watch the video here:
Video captured the moment a road buckled and sent a car flying as a heatwave impacted Missouri on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/wPVLrk3XZY
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) June 23, 2025
After the incident, city authorities warned that similar situations were possible throughout the city if the heat wave continued.
"Both Broadway and Siemers buckled in this heat wave."
"Thank you to the crews for managing traffic and the temporary fix on Seimers. We will return to temporary street patches to complete a full repair."
"With more high temperatures expected this week, the city may experience more street buckling due to the heat."
"Please drive carefully and be mindful of city workers who will be out repairing streets. Stay safe out there!"
A spokesperson for the Cape Girardeau Police Department also cautioned drivers.
"In reference to safe driving and roadway buckling due to heat, drivers should be wearing a seat belt, and if a driver notices anything unusual with the roadway, please contact local law enforcement as soon as possible."
Onlookers were suspicious that this wasn't entirely due to the heat.
From a heatwave? Some expansion and contraction with weather but not buckling like that.
Maybe water lines or something, but not heat. What do they use under their roads? Air?
— Charles X Proxy™ (@Charlemagne0814) June 23, 2025
I seriously doubt this had anything to do with the heat.
— Jeremy Cady (@JeremyCady) June 23, 2025
somehow, especially given the hazard sign and traffic cone already on site, I just don't buy that this was caused by any heatwave.
— Gordon Promish (@G_Mac_Promish) June 23, 2025
Thats an interesting take. Asphalt is over 300 degrees F when we pull it on the road. It doesnt buckle under heat like this, it becomes malleable. This is a failing of whatever base is under there or a possible drainage line collapsing.
— SavageRetort (@MemeLordMayhem) June 24, 2025
Heat didn't do that.
— Johnny Silverhand 🦾 (@WyrmStar) June 23, 2025
At least they got video. Happened to me and Oklahoma DOT was like, yeah right we ain’t paying for any repairs. Bent two rims, ballooned a tire, and busted the front shocks.
— 2025Derpination (@spoticusthe) June 23, 2025
A few thought the moment was humorous.
Needs some “just the good ole boys” music for that dukes of hazzard jump 😂😂😂
— Vortex Media (@stormchasevideo) June 23, 2025
Were they texting? 💬
— truth seeker 💼 🔥 (@TeslaTomMY1) June 23, 2025
They forgot to do a trick jump for the speed boost
— Beezul (@_Beezul) June 24, 2025
Okay, I'm sure this was scary and hard on the car, but that was awesome.
— The Wasatchquatch (@waschatchsquach) June 24, 2025
Temperatures continue to reach record highs throughout the Northeast U.S., ranging from as far as Kansas to Maine. According to the National Weather Service, this remains an "extreme heat risk," and it's unclear when it will break, though the heat and humidity are expected to last at least through the beginning of next week.
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