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Three police officers lost their lives and no fewer than 15 others got wounded in what appears to be deliberate blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The explosion was triggered as officers and emergency crews went into the residence close to the Verona region to enforce an eviction order for three siblings in their late 50s and mid-60s.

All three deceased individuals were members of the Carabinieri military police.

Legal Proceedings

A man and a woman got detained at the site and another man who ran away following the incident was apprehended soon after. All three have been taken to hospital.

The blast could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the scene displayed the property turned into a mass of wreckage.

“This is a time for grieving,” commented Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who noted that previous tries had been made to displace the brother and sister trio in the past.

Financial Context

The head of the Veneto area, President Zaia, stated the farmhouse was under an eviction order due to financial obligations accrued by the siblings.

Conflict resolution experts had been dispatched to talk with the siblings who had locked themselves into the property. When the police arrived soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators believe a family member set off the blast.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” provincial police commander the police commander told reporters.

A propane tank had been ignited, and the blast directly hit our officers,” he said.

Molotov cocktails were also found at the property, the minister confirmed.

Impact Assessment

Those injured by the explosion included 11 other members of the military police as well as three members of Italy's state police and a emergency responder.

As stated by the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a derelict state and had no electricity.

The prosecutor believed the detonation had occurred on a level above the access point and told the press it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Shortly before the blast, he revealed members had “heard a whistle, likely the gas cylinders being turned on”.

Local Response

“We all knew the situation was dire,” nearby inhabitants stated to reporters, adding that the family members had in the past stated to “detonate the property” rather than vacate the property.

“The incident exacted a ‘dreadful, extremely sad and dramatic price’.”

Defence Minister the Defence Minister united with other government officials in commemorating the three men who had died in the service of their country.