FAMILIES were forced to evacuate their homes due to a fuel spill last night.

Now, environmental teams have today launched an investigation.

Residents from the Botley Road area of Horton Heath raised the alarm at 6pm last night after noticing a “strong smell” of petrol in their homes.

Specialist teams from Hampshire Fire and Rescue arrived and discovered concentrations of fuel in drains near homes which have been dealing with increased water flow due to torrential rains over the weekend.

Now engineers from Southern Water and the Hampshire County Council are working in the neighbourhood today to determine the source of the spill which is believed to have been caused by extra runoff due to the severe weather.

Two households – including a family of four with young children and a couple believed to be in their 60s – left their homes and stayed elsewhere overnight.

Crews from Eastleigh fire station and a specialist Detect Identify and Monitor (DIM) vehicle from Winchester fire station spent nearly five hours at the site.

It included using hand held devices to detect fumes in the air.

Firefighter Andy Tait from Winchester said: “People reported a strong smell of petrol or diesel in their homes. We used specialist equipment to test the saturation rates of petroleum and diesel. We wanted to keep people safe and monitored the situation and contacted the relevant agencies. There could have been a flammable risk and a spark could have set off an explosion.”

Teams from Southern Water and Hampshire County Council are also checking with petrol stations in the area to determine whether they have witnessed any spills or extra drainage problems in the severe weather.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: "Following our investigations we can confirm the diesel spill has been linked with a petrol station in the area. 

Some of the spill entered a drain that is not owned by Southern Water and some entered our sewers - which have now been flushed and vented. 

"We have spoken with people living at the properties near to the spill site and are pleased to confirm all customers are back at their properties. 

"Southern Water have worked closely alongside Hampshire County Council and the Fire and Rescue Service to investigate and resolve this issue as a matter of urgency. We would like to thank the public for their patience during this time."