Fact Check: Did Europe's Heat Wave Melt Traffic Lights?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video circulated on X [archive] and Instagram (account 1 and 2) on June 28 and 30, 2026, claiming that an extreme heat wave in Europe had melted traffic lights. The video showed two traffic lights on a single pole that appeared to be melting. The narrative stated that the damage occurred because temperatures in Europe had reached 40–45 degrees Celsius in the past month.

As of June 30, 2026, the video had been liked 3,552 times and shared 690 times on TikTok. But did the traffic light really melt due to the heat wave in Europe?

FACT CHECK

Tempo's Fact Check Team verified the claim through reverse image searches and credible media reports. The traffic light did not melt due to extreme temperatures. Rather, it melted because a scooter caught fire on the sidewalk directly beneath the lamppost. The incident occurred at an intersection in Milan, Italy.

Scooter Fire in Milan

Initial clues point to a post on the Facebook account Tranvier Di Milano on July 29, 2022, that included a photo of the melted traffic light with the caption "MILANO - Viale Regina Margherita." That same day, content creator Simone Lunghi uploaded a video of the scene to his Instagram account, @Simone_Lunghi. He explained that the melted traffic light was caused by a nearby burning motorcycle, pointing out the remaining soot on the sidewalk. In the video, he said, "Milan is a beautiful place."

Using the Google Street View feature on Google Maps, Tempo confirmed that the incident occurred at the intersection of Viale Regina Margherita and Via Bergamo in Milan.

According to Open.online, the Milan City Fire Department confirmed a scooter fire in the area on Monday afternoon, July 25, 2022.

Fire authorities explained that the vehicle had just been refueled, and the high temperatures at the time triggered the fire. Local police confirmed that city officials immediately cleared the area and restored order after the incident. This false claim previously circulated in various countries in 2023 and has been debunked by foreign media outlets such as USA Today, Open.online, and Factly.in.

Heat Wave in Europe

Meanwhile, a heat wave is currently sweeping across the Blue Continent. German media outlet Deutsche Welle reported on July 26, 2026, that millions of people in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK were experiencing extreme temperatures due to the heat dome phenomenon. Daytime temperatures in various regions reportedly exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) released a rapid study report on June 26, 2026, revealing that heat waves this year are 200 times more likely to occur than they were two decades ago. An analysis of 850 cities across 30 European countries revealed that 45 percent have already experienced heat stress damage or are expected to reach record levels.

CONCLUSION

Tempo's verification concluded that the narrative that traffic lights melted due to the heat wave in Europe is misleading. The lights were damaged by a fire from a vehicle underneath, even though Europe is currently experiencing an extreme heat wave.

TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM

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