Millbrook residents were woken up in the middle of night after waste containing asbestos was dumped on a main road.
Those living on Cumbrian Way woke up to the sound of metal and bricks hitting the floor and of wheels screeching, they said.
Neighbours described the sound of a loud bang around 2.42am when police were called to the road.
Southampton City Council confirmed the waste contained asbestos cement and said it has worked with licensed contractors to clear the road.
The trail of rubbish started at Cotswold Road and ended opposite Cumbrian Way bus stop.
READ MORE: 'Piles of rubbish have turned our street into an eyesore'
Jordan Christians, 28, of Cumbrian Way said: “We heard a loud bang around 2am but at the time I didn’t realise the extent of it. It sounded like a crash at the time.
“I came down this morning around 4am and turned on the light and then the police rang on my door.”
A resident on Helvellyn Road told the Echo: “I was in the kitchen and heard some screeching sound coming from outside.
“My kitchen window looks out to the junction of Cambrian Way with Cotswold Road so that’s when I looked outside.”
Afterwards, he came outside to find the fly-tipping dumped in the middle of the road.
He said: “I walked down there to have a look and then walked home to call the police but they only came around and arrived around 4am.
“At first I thought it was a case that the scrap man had lost its load until I came outside and saw everything on the road.”
The city council is now appealing for any witnesses that can provide information or footage to assist the investigation.
Jeremy Moulton, Conservative councillor for Millbrook said: "I think its absolutely shocking and unprecedented that amount of material being dumped on a residential street, it’s nothing I have ever seen before,
"I think the council should throw all its resources to catching the culprits and bringing them to justice."
A spokesperson said: “We are aware of the fly tip on Cumbrian Way. Council Environmental Protection Officers are on site with the police seeking evidence from the fly-tip and surrounding CCTV cameras.
"Teams have cleared the road and it is now open again.”
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