A crude oil spill inundated residential areas of Halmari Dighalia Gaon in Assam’s Dibrugarh district after an Oil India Limited (OIL) pipeline burst late Monday night, triggering panic among local residents.

According to villagers, a loud sound was heard before crude oil began gushing from the damaged pipeline and spreading into nearby houses. Residents rushed out of their homes after noticing oil flowing across the area. OIL fire tenders reached the spot soon after and managed to contain the spill, preventing further escalation.

Local residents expressed concern over the condition of oil infrastructure in the area, stating that several ageing pipelines pass through the village. The locality reportedly has around 50 oil wells, two Oil Collecting Stations and one Drilling Collecting Station in close proximity to habitations. Villagers demanded immediate inspection and replacement of old pipelines to avoid future incidents.

Attempts to contact OIL spokesperson Bhairab Bhuyan for comments were unsuccessful.

The incident comes months after a fatal pipeline-related accident in February 2024 at Duliajan in the same district, where one worker was killed and four others were injured during repair work due to high pressure. Following that incident, OIL had announced internal inquiries and preventive measures.