Mexico - Monterrey. There is a fire in one of the casinos in northern Mexico on Thursday, which killed 53 people and wounding dozens, authorities said.Fire at Casino Royale in Monterrey, in which there was a big city that represents one of the deadliest attacks in an entertainment center in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against drug cartels in late 2006.
"This is a sad night for Mexico," said spokesman Alejandro Poire security of the federal government in a televised address. "This is an unspeakable act of terror will not escape punishment."
Tweeted Calderon said that the attack "disgusting act of terror and barbarism" that requires "all of us to survive in the fight against criminal bands that are not immoral."
Nuevo Leon state Governor Rodrigo Medina told Televisa network that 53 people have been confirmed killed in the attack.
"But we could find more," said state Attorney General Leon Adrian de la Garza, adding that the drug cartels apparently responsible for the attack. Cartels often extort casinos and other businesses, threatening to attack them or burn them to the ground if they refused to pay.
State police officials quoted survivors said the gunman burst into the casino, it seems to rob, and start watering the place with fuel from the tank they brought with them. The official was not authorized to be quoted by name because of security reasons. De la Garza said the fluid seems to gasoline.
With shouts and profanities, the attackers told the customers and employees to exit. But many customers and employees are afraid to flee further inside the building, where they died trapped in the midst of the flames and thick smoke billowing out of the building immediately.
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Monterrey Mayor Fernando Larrazabal said many bodies were found in casino bathroom, where employees and customers have to lock themselves to escape armed.In an act of desperation, authorities commandeered a backhoe from a nearby construction site to break the wall of the casino to try to reach people trapped inside.
Maria Tomas Navarro, 42, stood weeping on the banks of the police tape stretched across the front of the casino smoke-stained. He hopes for the word brother, 25-year-Genaro Vega Navarro, who has worked in the area bingo casino.
Navarro said he tried calling his brother cell phone. "But he did not answer. I do not know what happened," he said. "Nobody asked."
Larrazabal said the casino, in the wealthy Monterrey, has been shut down by authorities in May to build the expansion without permission, but the judge later granted the order the owner to continue operations.
Initial reports said 11 people had died, but mortality rates rise and firefighters search for the casino building and the victims were treated for smoke inhalation
State police officials initially said that witnesses reported hearing three explosions since before the fire started, but later said combustible material is used. The official was not authorized to be quoted by name because of security reasons.
This is the second time in three months this Casino Royale became the target of armed men and three other casinos on 25 May, when gunmen attacked the Casino Royale with a bullet, but was not reported injured in the attack. Last month, gunmen killed 20 people at a bar in Monterrey.
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