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Three police officers were killed and no fewer than 15 others sustained injuries in what appears to be deliberate gas explosion at a rural property in Italy's north.

Sequence of Events

The blast took place as police and firefighters entered the property close to the city of Verona to enforce an removal notice for two brothers and a sister aged in their 50s and 60s.

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

Legal Proceedings

One male and one female were arrested at the location and a third person who ran away subsequent to the blast was located shortly later. All three have been transported to the hospital.

The explosion could be noticed approximately 5 kilometers away and footage from the location revealed the structure left as a pile of rubble.

“We are in a period of mourning,” stated the Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who added that previous tries had been made to displace the three siblings in the past.

Property Situation

The head of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, said the residence was subject to an eviction order due to debts accumulated by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been sent to talk with the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the property. When the officers arrived just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), officials think one of the residents caused the blast.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” regional commander the police commander told the media.

A gas canister had been ignited, and the detonation immediately struck our officers,” he said.

Petrol bombs were also found at the site, the minister confirmed.

Casualties and Damage

Injured individuals by the incident consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three members of the state police and a firefighter.

According to the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had no electricity.

The official was convinced the detonation had happened on a floor above the entrance and stated to reporters it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Just prior to the incident, he said members had “heard a whistle, likely the propane tanks being turned on”.

Neighbor Statements

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” local residents stated to Italian media, mentioning that the family members had previously threatened to “detonate the property” rather than vacate the property.

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

Defence Minister Minister Crosetto united with other elected representatives in paying tribute to the three officers who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.