Workers cutting steel pipes

 On the 24th, the Osaka City government cut away the 1.6‑meter section of a massive steel pipe that had risen above ground in Tsuruno‑cho, Kita Ward. The city will soon establish a task force to investigate why the pipe surfaced and to consider measures to prevent recurrence.

Work began at 10 a.m., with workers cutting the 3.6‑meter‑diameter pipe little by little.

The steel pipe, originally 27 meters long, had been buried underground for sewer construction. On the morning of the 11th, it was found protruding from the road, at one point reaching 13 meters above ground. The city attempted to sink it by filling it with water, but 1.6 meters remained exposed.

Although most traffic restrictions around the site were lifted by the 17th, some lane closures remain near the pipe. The city plans to seal the opening with an iron plate and make the area above the pipe passable soon.