Ghana: At least 17 people have been killed and many more were injured in a huge explosion near a mining town in western Ghana, officials say.
Police say a vehicle carrying mining explosives collided with a motorcycle near the town of Bogoso.
Videos from the scene posted on social media on Thursday showed a large blast area in which at least dozens of buildings had been felled and reduced to piles of wood, brick and twisted metal.
The police released a statement saying that a “preliminary investigation has established that a mining explosive vehicle … collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.”
The explosion occurred in Apiate between the towns of Bogoso and Bawdie in the country’s Western Region, when a motorcycle went under a truck carrying explosives that was on route to the Chirano gold mine, run by Canada-based Kinross.
A Kinross spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying it occurred 140 kilometres (87 miles) from the mine.
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