31 August 2010 Last updated at 15:33 ET

Eight killed as bar is 'petrol-bombed' in Cancun

The bar is located in a suburb of the city

Six women and two men have been killed in an attack on a bar in the Mexican resort city of Cancun, officials say.

Witnesses told police that six armed men had thrown petrol bombs into the building early on Tuesday, setting it ablaze, Quintana Roo state attorney-general Francisco Alor said.

Investigators were examining the wreckage of the bar, he added.

According to one report, the business had been the target of attempts to extort money by the Zeta drugs cartel.

The bar offered table dances and other entertainment, and had a poor reputation. Mr Alor said it had had problems in the past.

"According to unofficial information, which we have not corroborated, two vehicles pulled up... both black, and apparently six armed men tossed Molotov cocktails," he told a local radio station.

Six of those who died were killed on site, while two others died from their injuries after being taken to hospital, Mr Alor added.

Cancun, a popular destination for US tourists, has largely avoided the drug-related violence that has plagued Mexico in recent years.

The bar was located in a residential area on the city's western outskirts, far from most of the resort centre, residents told the BBC News website.