Mexico`s powerful interior minister died with at least seven others in a spectacular plane crash during Tuesday evening rush hour in central Mexico City.

Juan Camilo Mourino, 37, had been traveling in a small plane that crashed near the capital`s main Reforma avenue, setting dozens of cars on fire.

Mourino led a government campaign against mounting drug-related violence -- in which some 4,000 have died so far this year -- including the deployment of some 36,000 troops across the country.

At least eight people died in the crash, said Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard. Rescue services said that some 40 people were injured.

Mexican government security advisor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, other senior officials, and the pilot and co-pilot, were also killed in the crash, reports said.

The cause of the accident was unclear Tuesday evening. The pilot had reported a breakdown to the air traffic control at Mexico City airport moments before losing contact.

The plane had taken off from the central state of San Luis Potosi where Mourino had earlier signed a security accord.

President Felipe Calderon paid homage to `one of my closest collaborators and one of my best and closest friends,` in a brief statement to journalists late Tuesday.

The government `will carry out all necessary investigations to find out the causes of the tragedy,` Calderon added.

The interior ministry Learjet crashed at 6:40 pm (0040 GMT) on a pedestrian street near the capital`s main Reforma avenue.

`The explosion was enormous, the flames rose higher than the buildings on Reforma,` a witness told AFP.

`It was horrible. I saw an enormous column of black smoke and I heard three explosions,` said another witness, Nelly Cabrera.

Security forces evacuated the accident site shortly after the crash.