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A trio of officers lost their lives and at least 15 people were hurt in an apparently intentional blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in northern Italy.

Sequence of Events

The blast took place as police and firefighters entered the residence close to the city of Verona to execute an eviction order for three siblings who were older adults.

The three victims who died were members of the Carabinieri military police.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the scene and a third person who fled subsequent to the incident was apprehended soon after. The trio have been taken to medical facility.

The explosion could be audible approximately 5 kilometers away and photographs from the area showed the building reduced to a pile of rubble.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who mentioned that efforts had been made to remove the three siblings in the previous occasions.

Background and Motive

The president of the Veneto region, President Zaia, explained the residence was facing an removal notice due to financial obligations accumulated by the three owners.

Negotiators had been assigned to engage the siblings who had barricaded themselves into the home. When the police arrived just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), officials believe one of the siblings triggered the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” local police chief the police commander told reporters.

A gas canister had been activated, and the detonation precisely impacted our officers,” he explained.

Incendiary devices were also found at the site, the interior minister said.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the blast comprised an additional 11 personnel of the Carabinieri as well as a trio of personnel of the state police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the Verona prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had no electricity.

He was convinced the explosion had occurred on a floor above the access point and told journalists it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Just prior to the blast, he said officers had “detected a whistling noise, likely the gas canisters being activated”.

Neighbor Statements

“We all knew the situation was dire,” nearby inhabitants told local news, adding that the family members had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

“The explosion had left a ‘terrible, very painful and dramatic toll’.”

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto united with other government officials in paying tribute to the three officers who had died in the service of their country.