Irritation of the eyes, itchy throat, nausea and vomiting began to affect the residents of one street in the Las Moreras district of Lepe on Friday night and sixteen people ended up being treated at the Health Centre for poisoning, several of those affected requiring oxygen.
The problems began at around 22:00 and was due to fertiliser being used on nearby farms where strawberries were being grown. The fertiliser got into the irrigation system and down to the local stream.
The fertiliser being used is, in principle, legal but the concentration on this particular occasion was exceptionally high. Residents in the area were evacuated from the homes at around 22:30 and had to remain outside until 02:00.
The incident is under investigation.