More than 50 people have been killed in what appears to have been an arson attack on a casino in Monterrey, Mexico, on Thursday.
Governor of Nuevo Leon, Rodrigo Medina, confirmed that at least 53 people have been killed in the blaze at Casino Royale, believed to have been started by a group of masked gunmen that entered the property at around 4pm.
Speaking during a televised address, federal security spokesman Alejandro Poire said: "This is a night of sadness for Mexico. These unspeakable acts of terror will not go unpunished.”
Until a few years ago, Monterrey was among Mexico’s safest cities but recent drug-related violence and organised crime has seen a dramatic increase in murders.
Some reports suggest that owners of casinos have been targeted by criminal gangs for refusing to meet their demands for protection money.
