Veracruz [Mexico], August 28 (Sputnik/ANI): At least 23 people were killed and 13 others have sustained severe injuries following a fire in a bar in Mexico's southern Veracruz State, General Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Wednesday.

The incident occurred late on Tuesday in El Caballo Blanco bar in the port city of Coatzacoalcos.

"As a result of the fire in the bar, 23 people have been killed -- eight women and 15 men. Thirteen people have sustained serious injuries and are already receiving medical assistance in different medical centres," the General Prosecutor's Office said.

Local authorities are currently investigating the reasons behind the fire, with prosecutors trying to find out if the fire resulted from an attack.

According to Razon newspaper, the fire broke out after an attack in which Molotov cocktails were used, but the authorities have not yet confirmed the information. (Sputnik/ANI) </s> At least 23 people were killed and 13 badly wounded in a fire that was likely caused by an “attack” at a bar in eastern Mexico, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The fire in the city of Coatzacoalcos, which broke out Tuesday night, “may have been the result of a vile attack,” said a statement from prosecutors in the state of Veracruz, a flashpoint in the bloody turf wars between Mexico’s rival drug cartels.

Media reports said a Molotov cocktail had been thrown into the bar. </s> At least 23 people were killed and 13 badly wounded in a fire at a bar in eastern Mexico that is being investigated as an attack, authorities said Wednesday

Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2019 ) :At least 23 people were killed and 13 badly wounded in a fire at a bar in eastern Mexico that is being investigated as an attack, authorities said Wednesday.

The fire in the city of Coatzacoalcos, which broke out Tuesday night, "may have been the result of a vile attack," said a statement from prosecutors in the state of Veracruz, a flashpoint in the bloody turf wars between Mexico's rival drug cartels.

Media reports said the fire broke out when attackers burst into the bar and threw Molotov cocktails.

"The devious crime of a few moments ago in Coatzacoalcos will not go unpunished," Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia said in a tweet.

Frantic family members rushed to the bar, the Caballo Blanco (White Horse), looking for their loved ones, said an AFP reporter at the scene.

"I just want to know if he's OK," said a mother looking for her son, who worked as a cleaner at the bar, after searching for him in vain at local hospitals.

The interior of the bar was wrecked and charred, with chairs overturned and debris littering the floor. A heavy contingent of police and emergency vehicles gathered outside the building. </s> WASHINGTON: At least 23 people were killed after a fire broke out in a bar in southern Mexico Tuesday night, NBC News reported, with authorities investigating a possible arson attack.

Thirteen others were left seriously injured following the blaze in the southern port city of Coatzacoalcos, NBC said, citing a statement from the state attorney general´s office.

The office condemned “what may constitute a malicious attack,” it added.

Citing reports, The Los Angeles Times said Molotov cocktails had been thrown into the bar.

Images carried by local media showed a wrecked interior with chairs overturned and debris littering the floor, and emergency vehicles and police outside the building.

“The devious crime of a few moments ago in Coatzacoalcos will not go unpunished,” the governor of Veracruz state said in a tweet.

Veracruz is one of the most violent regions of Mexico. Drug trafficking routes to the United States pass through it, and bloody battles frequently erupt between rival drug gangs. </s> MEXICO CITY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - At least 23 people died in a bar fire in the southeastern Mexican port of Coatzacoalcos late on Tuesday after a suspected attack, authorities said, in what appeared to be one of the most deadly acts of criminal violence under the current government.

Eight women died along with 15 male victims after the fire in the "Caballo Blanco" bar, according to a statement by the attorney general's office of the state of Veracruz.

Another 13 people were seriously injured and are being treated in hospital, it said.

Veracruz state governor Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested the fire may have been the result of a dispute between gangs.

Some Mexican media reported that gunmen had fired shots on the bar before setting it ablaze with Molotov cocktails.

The deaths follow an attack in April on another bar in Veracruz in the city of Minatitlan that killed 13 people and drew criticism from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December pledging to curb gang violence.

So far the number of murders in Mexico has continued to rise after reaching record levels last year, and Lopez Obrador has said more needs to be done.

Veracruz governor Garcia said on Twitter that as in the case of the attack in Minatitlan, the perpetrators would be brought to justice and that the state would not tolerate criminal gangs.

The Gulf Coast state is a major transit point for drugs making their way north towards the U.S. border and has long been convulsed by violent turf wars between organized crime groups. </s> 23 killed in attack on bar in southern Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) — An attack on a bar in Mexico's Gulf coast city of Coatzacoalcos killed 23 people and injured 13 late Tuesday.

The attackers started a fire that ripped through the bar, killing eight women and 15 men. There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured.

Photos of the scene showed tables and chairs jumbled around, apparently as people tried to flee.

The state prosecutor's office in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz said the search was continuing for the attackers.

Veracruz Gov. Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested that a gang dispute was involved in the attack.

"In Veracruz, criminal gangs are no longer tolerated," Garcia wrote of the attack, adding police, the armed forces and newly formed National Guard are searching for the attackers.

State police identified the establishment as the "Bar Caballo Blanco."

The tatty bar is located in a storefront on a busy commercial street in Coatzacoalcos, a city whose main industry has long been oil and oil refining.

The fire may have been started with gasoline bombs.

It came almost eight years to the day after a fire at a casino in the northern city of Monterrey killed 52 people. The Zetas drug cartel staged that 2011 attack to enforce demands for protection payments.

The Zetas, now splintered, have also been active in Coatzacoalcos.

The attack, along with the killing of 19 people in the western city of Uruapan earlier this month, is likely to renew fears that the violence of the 2006-2012 drug war has returned. </s> At least 23 people were killed and 13 badly wounded in a fire at a bar in eastern Mexico that is being investigated as an attack, authorities said Wednesday.

The fire in the city of Coatzacoalcos, which broke out Tuesday night, “may have been the result of a vile attack,” said a statement from prosecutors in the state of Veracruz, a flashpoint in the bloody turf wars between Mexico’s rival drug cartels.

Media reports said the fire broke out when attackers burst into the bar and threw Molotov cocktails.

“The devious crime of a few moments ago in Coatzacoalcos will not go unpunished,” Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia said in a tweet.

Frantic family members rushed to the bar, the Caballo Blanco (White Horse), looking for their loved ones, said an AFP reporter at the scene.

“I just want to know if he’s OK,” said a mother looking for her son, who worked as a cleaner at the bar, after searching for him in vain at local hospitals.

The interior of the bar was wrecked and charred, with chairs overturned and debris littering the floor. A heavy contingent of police and emergency vehicles gathered outside the building.

Veracruz is one of the most violent regions in the country.

Its strategic location on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico makes it a popular route for drug cartels and for human traffickers bringing undocumented migrants to the United States.

Bloody battles between warring cartels and gangs frequently erupt in the state.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android. </s> A suspected arson attack on a bar in southern Mexico on Tuesday night has killed 23 people and injured 13.

The attackers started a vicious blaze that ripped through Caballo Blanco bar in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, killing eight women and 15 men.

State police are investigating a possible arson attack, which may have been started with petrol bombs, and said the search for the attackers continues.

Governor of Veracruz Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested that a gang dispute was involved in the blaze.

The attack, along with the killing of 19 people in the western city of Uruapan earlier this month, is likely to renew fears that the public violence of the 2006-2012 drug war has returned.

'In Veracruz, criminal gangs are no longer tolerated,' Garcia wrote of the attack, adding police, the armed forces and newly formed National Guard are searching for the culprits.

'The devious crime of a few moments ago in Coatzacoalcos will not go unpunished', he continued in a tweet.

The state attorney general's office condemned 'what may constitute a malicious attack.'

Photos of the scene showed a wrecked interior with chairs overturned and debris littering the floor, and emergency vehicles and police outside the building.

There was no immediate information on the condition of the injured.

Citing reports, The Los Angeles Times said Molotov cocktails had been thrown into the bar.

It is located in a storefront on a busy commercial street in Coatzacoalcos, a city whose main industry has long been oil and oil refining.

The attack came almost eight years to the day after a fire started in 2011 at a casino in the northern city of Monterrey killed 52 people. The Zetas drug cartel staged that attack to enforce demands for protection payments.

The Zetas, now splintered, have also been active in Coatzacoalcos.

Veracruz is one of the most violent regions of Mexico. Drug trafficking routes to the United States pass through it, and bloody battles frequently erupt between rival drug gangs. </s> Image copyright Reuters Image caption Outside the bar, friends and families gathered to search for missing loved ones

At least 25 people have been killed in a Mexican bar fire that police say was set deliberately by gang members.

Another 11 were badly injured in the blaze in the Caballo Blanco (White Horse) bar in Coatzacoalcos, a port city in Veracruz, on Tuesday night.

Survivors said men believed to be gangsters blocked the exits before setting the venue on fire.

Mexican media reported that the bar was peppered with gunfire and Molotov cocktails were thrown inside.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the attack was "shameful", and that an investigation would look into how some of the suspects had recently been freed from custody.

There would be a particular investigation into whether there was any collusion with authorities in connection with their release, he said.

Veracruz regional governor Cuitláhuac García said police were in pursuit of the attackers and vowed that they "will not go unpunished".

Later, he added that one suspect, named Ricardo, was known as "La Loca", and had been released 48 hours after his arrest last month.

Outside the White Horse bar, police and ambulances crowded the street.

One woman standing nearby told a reporter for AFP that she was looking for her son, like many others there. Her son worked as a cleaner at the bar, and she had already searched the local hospitals.

"I just want to know if he's OK," she said.

Image copyright EPA Image caption The exits were reportedly blocked off before the fire was kindled, witnesses said

Officially, prosecutors are only saying that the fire "may have been the result of a vile attack" and are still investigating.

The Veracruz state prosecutor's office denied having ever held the suspect known as Ricardo, saying instead that federal prosecutors had been responsible.

Gang violence, often driven by the drug trade, is not uncommon in Veracruz, one of the most violent regions in Mexico.

It is a popular route for illicit drug shipments or human trafficking destined for the United States - and rival gangs battle for territory and dominance.

Last year, a mass grave of suspected drug cartel victims was found containing the skulls of at least 166 people. In 2017, another mass grave with 250 victims in it was found.
28 people are killed in a bar fire in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, that police believe was caused by an attack by drug cartels. Mexican media reports that Molotov cocktails were thrown inside.