A tragic gas explosion in Sapporo's Teine Ward resulted in casualties and has raised serious questions about the reliability of Kitagas, a subsidiary of Hokkaido Gas that supplies propane gas to the area. During a press conference on the 17th, Kitagas acknowledged that the explosion was likely linked to their propane gas infrastructure after it was revealed that inspectors had flagged potential corrosion issues four years prior without urgent follow-up actions being taken. Kitagas president Takushi Umemura expressed regret and confirmed that despite a report indicating corrosion signs during the last inspection in September 2022, the company deemed the situation not to be urgent, failing to inform residents or take necessary preventive measures.

In the days leading up to the explosion, which occurred on the 9th, the gas supply volume from shared gas storage increased significantly, leading to further investigations. It was noted that the supply returned to normal after the incident, but it remained unclear whether this indicated a gas leak, as president Umemura mentioned ongoing investigations by police and fire departments. Kitagas’ community gas system, which uses underground pipes to deliver propane to residential units, is now under scrutiny as all homes in the community underwent emergency inspections following the explosion.

After extensive checks, only two homes showed signs of minor gas leaks, specifically related to the aforementioned 'riser' areas suspected of having issues. Evidence linking these problems to the explosion has been provided to authorities as part of ongoing investigations. The incident has undoubtedly shaken public trust in the safety of community gas systems, prompting broader inquiries into maintenance practices and regulatory compliance within the gas supply sector in Japan.