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Three police officers were killed and at least 15 others sustained injuries in a seemingly deliberate gas explosion at a country home in Italy's north.

Sequence of Events

The detonation was triggered as police and firefighters entered the residence near Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for a brother and sister trio aged in their 50s and 60s.

All three victims who died served in the Carabinieri military police.

Legal Proceedings

Two individuals were taken into custody at the site and one more individual who ran away after the explosion was apprehended shortly later. Each of them have been taken to medical facility.

The detonation could be heard as far as 3 miles distant and images from the area showed the structure turned into a heap of debris.

“We are in a period of mourning,” stated Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who noted that efforts had been made to displace the three siblings in the earlier times.

Financial Context

The leader of the Veneto area, the regional head, explained the farmhouse was under an court order due to financial obligations accrued by the siblings.

Negotiators had been sent to engage the siblings who had barricaded themselves into the property. When the officers reached the location shortly 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,” regional commander Claudio Papagno informed news outlets.

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

Petrol bombs were also located at the site, the Interior Minister said.

Impact Assessment

Those injured by the explosion consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three members of national police and a emergency responder.

As stated by the prosecuting attorney, the building was in a derelict state and had was without power.

The prosecutor believed the explosion had occurred on a story above the entrance and told the press it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Just prior to the explosion, he said members had “heard a whistle, likely the gas cylinders being opened”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” local residents informed reporters, mentioning that the trio had earlier warned to “detonate the property” rather than vacate the property.

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

Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto stood alongside other government officials in paying tribute to the three officers who had been killed in the performance of their duties.