MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) — Ten people were killed today in a fire at a gas pipeline distribution centre near Mexico's border with the United States.

Mexico's state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, also known as Pemex, said the fire broke out this morning at a facility near the city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas.

The company said in a statement that the fire had been extinguished and the pipeline had been shut off. The pipeline serves wells in the Burgos basin that produce natural gas.

The company said Tuesday that Pemex employees staff the centre, but said it was not immediately clear whether those killed were Pemex employees. Nor did the company immediately offer the possible cause of the fire.

Pipelines carrying gasoline and diesel in Mexico are frequently tapped by thieves looking to steal oil products.

Several oil spills and explosions have been blamed on illegal taps. But thieves seldom target gas pipelines.