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Three police officers were killed and at least 15 others got wounded in what appears to be intentional gas explosion at a country home in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The detonation took place as officers and emergency crews entered the property close to Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for two brothers and a sister in their late 50s and mid-60s.

All three victims who died belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Legal Proceedings

One male and one female got detained at the site and another man who ran away following the blast was located shortly later. All three have been taken to hospital.

The explosion could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and photographs from the area revealed the structure reduced to a mass of wreckage.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated the Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who mentioned that attempts had been made to remove the three family members in the previous occasions.

Background and Motive

The leader of the Veneto region, President Zaia, stated the property was facing an eviction order due to unpaid amounts accumulated by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been sent to engage the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the home. When the Carabinieri arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators think one of the residents caused the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” provincial police commander Claudio Papagno informed reporters.

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the detonation precisely impacted our officers,” he said.

Molotov cocktails were also located at the residence, the Interior Minister confirmed.

Impact Assessment

Injured individuals by the blast consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three members of national police and a fire services member.

As stated by the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had was without power.

The prosecutor was convinced the blast had taken place on a level above the access point and told journalists it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Moments before the explosion, he revealed personnel had “detected a whistling noise, presumably the gas canisters being opened”.

Community Reaction

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” neighbors informed reporters, mentioning that the trio had earlier warned to “detonate the property” rather than be evicted.

“The blast resulted in a ‘horrific, deeply distressing and tragic cost’.”

Minister of Defence Minister Crosetto stood alongside other elected representatives in honoring the trio of personnel who had died in the performance of their duties.