Residents who live closest to the site of the massive propane explosion in Downsview are trying to come to terms with the devastation left behind by the deadly incident.

Homeowners of the last 70 or so houses in the blast zone were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday afternoon.

On Friday, police allowed the media to examine the area near the levelled Sunrise Propane facility.

There are charred vehicles and scorched trees along the streets, and large pieces of metal scattered on lawns and in backyards.

Gino Zampini, who lives within 50 metres of the propane site, was overwhelmed with emotion while showing CTV Toronto his wrecked dining room. He choked up when speaking about the many meals his family has eaten together there.

Inside many homes, there is shattered glass, caved-in ceilings, cupboard doors blown off their hinges and family pictures knocked off the walls.

Joe Spineto, who specializes in disaster cleanup, spent Friday touring the damaged homes.

"Right now most of it is aesthetics, more than anything else. There are windows that are blown out, doors that are unsecured, you can definitely see dust in the area," he said.

"Cleaning is required, obviously, but more important than anything else, you have to make sure that the premises are structurally sound."

Many parents told CTV Toronto their children are having a difficult time dealing with the ordeal and are still experiencing nightmares.

Some parents are not letting their kids play outside because they're worried about metal and glass debris and asbestos exposure.

While almost all residents have been allowed to return home, as many as seven homes have been deemed uninhabitable by the city.

Meanwhile, insurance adjusters were also in the area examining homes on Friday. Officials estimate damage by the blast is in the tens of millions of dollars.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Chris Eby