SAPPORO, Nov 07 (News On Japan) –
An influence outage that halted operations on the Sapporo Municipal Subway on November third was brought on by an aluminum-coated balloon. Investigations have revealed that related troubles have occurred throughout varied transportation programs in Japan.
The blackout on the Tozai Line stranded round 82,000 passengers after a passenger’s balloon got here into contact with energy strains. According to the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau, the balloon was blown by the wind and touched overhead wires, inflicting a brief circuit. The scorch marks from the contact had been clearly seen. Officials mentioned security units had been triggered, resulting in the shutdown of energy. It was the primary time an aluminum balloon had brought about an influence failure on the Sapporo subway.
“We’ve never had an incident like this before, so determining the cause took time,” mentioned Hironobu Kamata, chief of the Power Section on the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau. “Since aluminum balloons conduct electricity, touching overhead lines can cause the same kind of failure as this one.”
Because the Tozai Line has overhead wires, it’s significantly susceptible to interference from airborne objects comparable to balloons. “On the Toho and Tozai lines, the overhead wires are mounted on the ceiling, while on the Namboku Line, they run along the sides of the track,” Kamata defined. “If you drop something, please ask station staff to retrieve it for you,” he added.
Similar points have additionally occurred with Sapporo’s streetcars. In August 2025, a driver noticed a balloon tangled in electrical wiring, forcing a brief suspension of service. According to the Sapporo City Transportation Promotion Corporation, though a balloon’s contact with the strains wouldn’t trigger an influence outage, it may nonetheless have an effect on operations, prompting every day security inspections.
Tokyo’s subway system has additionally skilled a number of balloon-related incidents. According to Tokyo Metro, 24 aluminum balloons have been discovered inside station premises over the previous 5 years.
While balloons are a standard sight at festivals and occasions, authorities are urging warning when carrying them on public transport, as they will pose sudden hazards to the ability infrastructure.
Source: 北海道ニュースUHB