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Three police officers lost their lives and at least 15 people sustained injuries in a seemingly premeditated gas explosion at a farmhouse in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The detonation occurred as police and firefighters entered the property near Verona to execute an eviction order for two brothers and a sister aged in their 50s and 60s.

All three officers killed belonged to the Italian military police.

Investigation Developments

Two individuals were arrested at the scene and another man who ran away subsequent to the blast was apprehended soon after. The trio have been transported to the hospital.

The explosion could be audible as far as 3 miles distant and images from the location revealed the structure left as a pile of rubble.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that attempts had been made to remove the brother and sister trio in the earlier times.

Property Situation

The president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, stated the farmhouse was facing an court order due to debts accumulated by the siblings.

Negotiators had been assigned to speak to the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the home. When the police reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators suspect one of the residents caused the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” local police chief Commander Papagno informed news outlets.

A gas canister had been set off, and the blast precisely impacted our members,” he added.

Incendiary devices were also discovered at the property, the minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the explosion included an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three officers of the state police and a fire services member.

According to the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a dilapidated shape and had lacked electrical service.

The official believed the explosion had happened on a floor above the entrance and told reporters it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Moments before the explosion, he mentioned personnel had “detected a whistling noise, presumably the gas canisters being activated”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” nearby inhabitants stated to Italian media, mentioning that the family members had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than vacate the property.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto united with other government officials in paying tribute to the three officers who had been killed in the line of duty.