Residents forced out of their East York apartment building after a hydro vault explosion returned to their homes Saturday -- but not all found their belongings the way they were left.

Nearly a dozen residents say items including passports and immigration documents have been removed from their apartments.

After Sunday's explosion, many residents of the Secord Avenue building were forced to leave carrying only what they had on their backs. After almost a week away from their homes, residents were given 15 minutes on Saturday to go inside and collect their valuables -- but for some, it was too late.

"Everything, anything valuable is gone," one distraught woman told CTV Toronto, saying she returned to find her apartment had been looted. "I have no home. I have no money now, too?"   

One man, who was supposed to catch a flight out of Canada on Monday, said his passport is missing.

Another man said his entire family's immigration papers had been stolen.

"We don't know what we're going to do," he said despondently.

A Toronto police spokesman said he couldn't tell reporters exactly who had access to the building.

"There are cleaners and other workers in the building as well," said Insp. Bill Neadles. "It's part of the investigation."

Residents of 2 Secord Avenue have been told they won't be allowed back into their homes permanently for at least four weeks.

Saturday's 15-minute escorted visits gave residents a chance to recover whatever they could carry out in one load. Many described the interior of the building as dilapidated.

"It's just sooty and they have everything taped in the building," said one woman.

"It's a mess up there," said another. "I don't know what we're going to do."

With a report by CTV Toronto's Brad Giffen