EVERETT, Mass. -- Families who lost everything in a gasoline tanker explosion and fire in Everett combed through the rubble of their devastated homes Thursday, searching for any remnants of lost belongings.

As front-end loaders carted away mountains of debris from where their houses once stood, residents said there was nothing left to salvage.

Eric Favetera stood in the charred street surveying the spot where he, his mother, aunt and sister had lived in a six-family house. Everything, he said, was gone.

"Pictures, baby pictures. Stuff that we had on our computers. Clothes. Just, everything that people owned," he said.

A gasoline tanker truck carrying 9,400 gallons of fuel rolled over coming off the Sweetser Rotary at the junction of routes 16 and 99 early Wednesday. The truck exploded in massive ball of flame, igniting a river of fuel that quickly spread to two triple-decker apartment houses on Main Street.

No one was seriously hurt, but 13 families lost their homes and 85 senior citizens were evacuated from a nearby high-rise housing complex. More than 20 cars were completely consumed by flames.

All the residents of the senior housing complex were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday.

The gas truck driver, Chad LaFrance, 30, of New Hampshire, was charged with speeding.

As a few residents salvaged belongings from a house that was spared from the flames, but only enough to put in plastic garbage bags. Meanwhile, at the armory building nearby, donations were coming in quickly.

Linda Verundi came from Chelsea, Mass., to donate children's clothing.

"People give to me and I need to give back," she said.

"We had a lot of winter jackets, which we desperately needed. Sweatsuits, sweatshirts ... " said Everett Human Service Director Carolyn Lightburn.

By morning, the rotary had been re-paved and reopened to traffic. It will be a lot longer before the neighborhood recovers.

"We lost three cats in the house. The animals didn't get out but ... I don't know. It's tough," Matt Favetera said.

The miracle was that no people were seriously injured.

"It was our Christmas yesterday, seeing the outpouring of support from the community. It's been wonderful," said Christine Falzarano of Eagle Bank.

The bank is administering a fund for donations for the victims of the fire.

Main Street Fire Relief Fund:
c/o Eagle Bank
466 Broadway
Everett, MA 02149

American Red Cross:
800-564-1234, earmark money for the Everett Explosion.

Simon Malls:
Simon Malls of Massachusetts joined with the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay disaster relief fund to collect donations for the families affected by the gas tanker explosion in Everett.

Collections begin on Thursday, Dec. 6 continuing through Monday, Dec. 31.

Square One Mall in Saugus, Northshore Mall in Peabody and Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers will begin collecting donations at "Wishing Wells" located near the Guest Services station in each mall. Simon Malls will issue one check per mall to the Red Cross at the end of the donation period.