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Three police officers were killed and no fewer than 15 additional individuals got wounded in what appears to be deliberate blast caused by gas at a country home in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The explosion took place as law enforcement and fire personnel entered the residence near Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for three siblings aged in their 50s and 60s.

Each of the three deceased individuals were members of the Carabinieri force.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the location and a third person who fled after the incident was found soon after. Each of them have been admitted to medical facility.

The blast could be noticed approximately 5 kilometers away and footage from the location displayed the property turned into a mass of wreckage.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented the Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who noted that attempts had been made to displace the three family members in the earlier times.

Property Situation

The president of the region of Veneto, President Zaia, explained the residence was under an court order due to debts accrued by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to engage the family members who had secured themselves into the home. When the Carabinieri came shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities suspect a family member set off the blast.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” local police chief Claudio Papagno informed news outlets.

A gas canister had been set off, and the explosion directly hit our officers,” he explained.

Molotov cocktails were also discovered at the residence, the Interior Minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the incident consisted of 11 other members of the police force as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a fire services member.

As stated by the local prosecutor, the building was in a dilapidated shape and had lacked electrical service.

He thought the blast had taken place on a story above the access point and stated to the press it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Shortly before the blast, he mentioned officers had “noticed a hissing sound, presumably the gas cylinders being opened”.

Local Response

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors informed reporters, mentioning that the family members had in the past stated to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

“The explosion had left a ‘terrible, very painful and dramatic toll’.”

Defence Minister the Defence Minister stood alongside other elected representatives in paying tribute to the three officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.