The Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan venue with the giant wooden roof called the “Grand Ring” is seen on Yumeshima island in Osaka’s Konohana Ward in this photo taken from a Mainichi Shimbun helicopter on Feb. 28, 2025. (Mainichi)
OSAKA — Methane gas was detected in an equipment pit at the 2025 World Exposition site April 6 with the gas concentration reportedly temporarily exceeding levels that could explode if ignited, officials announced.
According to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the gas was detected in an underground electrical equipment pit in the Green World (GW) area on the west side of the expo site following a report at about 4 p.m.
Firefighters and association staffers measured the gas levels in the underground electrical equipment pit outdoors, and detected methane. By around 4:30 p.m., access to the surrounding area was restricted, and the cover of the pit was opened for natural ventilation. By 5:30 p.m., the gas concentration had dropped below the threshold that requires workers to be evacuated to a safe location.
In March 2024, methane gas accumulated in a plumbing pit under a restroom floor in the GW area, resulting in an explosion. The association has spent 3.2 billion yen (about $22 million) on countermeasures, including installing ventilation systems in the buildings of the GW area.
(Japanese original by Tatsuya Naganuma, Osaka City News Department)
AloJapan.com