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Three members of law enforcement were killed and more than a dozen others were hurt in a seemingly intentional blast caused by gas at a rural property in northern Italy.

Sequence of Events

The blast was triggered as police and firefighters approached the property near the city of Verona to enforce an court-ordered eviction for three siblings aged in their 50s and 60s.

All three victims who died were members of the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were taken into custody at the location and a third person who ran away after the incident was apprehended soon after. Each of them have been admitted to the hospital.

The detonation could be audible approximately 5 kilometers away and photographs from the scene revealed the structure left as a heap of debris.

“This is a time for grieving,” said the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that attempts had been made to evict the three family members in the past.

Property Situation

The leader of the region of Veneto, Luca Zaia, stated the residence was under an removal notice due to unpaid amounts accumulated by the siblings.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to engage the siblings who had locked themselves into the property. When the police came soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think one of the residents set off the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” provincial police commander the police commander told news outlets.

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

Incendiary devices were also located at the site, the minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the incident comprised eleven more officers of the Carabinieri as well as three members of Italy's state police and a emergency responder.

According to the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a derelict state and had was without power.

The prosecutor believed the detonation had taken place on a floor above the doorway and informed journalists it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Shortly before the incident, he mentioned members had “noticed a hissing sound, probably the propane tanks being turned on”.

Community Reaction

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” local residents stated to local news, mentioning that the three had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than be evicted.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto joined other political leaders in commemorating the three officers who had been killed in the performance of their duties.