Aftermath of Ghana explosion that killed 17

Authorities in Ghana on Friday began to remove the debris left by an explosion that killed at least 17 people and injured dozens in Apiate .

Dozens of houses and buildings were reduced to rubble when a vehicle carrying mining explosives blew up after colliding with a motorcycle in western Ghana, officials said. The crash happened Thursday in Apiate,  a mining town in the Prestea-Huni Valley district.

The vehicle was carrying explosives bound for the Chirano gold mine in the Western Region. The explosion caused massive damage to the village of Apiate, which has a population of about 500.

Dozens of families that lost their homes, were sent to different towns, were they stayed in churches and other spaces used as shelters. The National Disaster Management Organization is coordinating efforts to assist residents of the town.