By Jay Lindsay
Associated Press
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press

EVERETT, Mass. — A tanker truck carrying about 9,400 gallons of gas overturned and caught fire early Wednesday, sending fuel flowing through streets and sparking a torrent of fire that burned at least two homes and as many as 40 cars.

Residents of a nearby neighborhood were hastily evacuated, and there were no reports of any deaths or serious injuries.

The accident occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. at a rotary connecting Routes 16 and 99, fire officials said. State Police Maj. Kevin Kelly said the driver of the tanker lost control, flipped over and struck a guardrail.

John Malone, who lived in one of the homes that was destroyed, said he saw flames outside his window when his girlfriend woke him. More concerning, though, was fuel from the truck that he watched move toward the homes.

"It was like a river," he said, adding that he saw cars exploding as the fuel and flames reached them. "As the river went, the fire went with it."

The tanker's driver, Chad LaFrance, 30, of Dover, N.H., was cited for speeding, but the investigation was ongoing. LaFrance was not injured in the crash.

At daybreak, a large plume of black smoke hovered over the community of 38,000 just north of Boston, as firefighters continued to battle the blaze in one of the homes. Their efforts initially were hampered by frozen hydrants and icy conditions with the temperature well below freezing.

"In consideration of everything the firefighters at the scene had to deal with, I think it's a miracle that we haven't seen any serious injuries," Everett Fire Chief David Butler said at a news conference.

Among those evacuated were 84 residents of an elderly housing complex that was threatened, but did not burn, Butler said. Evacuees were brought to a nearby armory for shelter, and the Red Cross was assisting them.

"The alarm went off and we all took off out of there," said Francis Mahoney, who lives at the complex and was standing outside wearing sandals, socks and a flannel coat several hours after the fire began. "All we saw was the flames in front. We had to get out of there."

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Amy Thomas said crews found no immediate sign of any sheen from the spilled fuel on the nearby Mystic River or Island End River. Most of the gasoline appeared to have disbursed or burned before reaching storm drains that lead to the rivers.

LaFrance works for Abenaqui Carriers, of North Hampton, N.H., state police said. A message left at the company was not immediately returned Wednesday.

Chris Barrow said he was asleep in his home when he heard a "big bang."

"Everybody was running because it looked like the fire was going to keep coming down the street at us, so we were just trying to get as far away as possible," Barrow told WBZ-AM.

"I jumped into my car and started backing up, not knowing that the fire was spreading all the way around us and behind us and I had to drive over the fire," he said. Barrow said he then realized that his own vehicle was burning.

"We got out of the car and ran and it exploded about two minutes after," he said.