Water pipe burst in Riehen forces evacuation and crane safety measures

On Saturday 25 July 2026 a water pipe burst on Rudolf Wackernagel‑Strasse in Riehen, Basel‑Stadt. The leak undercut the road and flooded a nearby construction pit, creating a risk that the building crane on the site could topple.

The Basel‑Stadt cantonal police established a 75‑metre safety perimeter, evacuating 27 residents from 21 houses. The crane was subsequently secured and folded in, allowing the exclusion zone to be reduced. Residents were permitted to return to their homes around 20:30. The street remains partially closed at house number 121, with limited access for traffic, while repairs to the pipe and restoration of services are being carried out by IWB and municipal authorities. The operation involved the professional fire brigade, rescue services, civil protection, the police, the militia fire brigade, the water utility, the civil engineering department, a structural engineer, a geologist and the construction company.