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Three police officers lost their lives and no fewer than 15 people were hurt in a seemingly intentional detonation from gas at a farmhouse in northern Italy.

Sequence of Events

The detonation occurred as officers and emergency crews went into the house in the vicinity of the city of Verona to execute an eviction order for a brother and sister trio aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three officers killed belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

One male and one female were arrested at the scene and another man who escaped after the incident was apprehended shortly later. The trio have been admitted to hospital.

The explosion could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the area showed the structure turned into a mass of wreckage.

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

Property Situation

The president of the Veneto region, President Zaia, said the property was under an removal notice due to debts incurred by the property owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to speak to the siblings who had barricaded themselves into the house. When the police reached the location shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think a family member caused the blast.

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

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the explosion precisely impacted our personnel,” he said.

Incendiary devices were also found at the site, the Interior Minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the incident included eleven more officers of the military police as well as a trio of personnel of national police and a emergency responder.

Based on information from the prosecuting attorney, the building was in a dilapidated shape and had lacked electrical service.

The official thought the explosion had happened on a story above the entrance and told journalists it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Moments before the explosion, he said personnel had “heard a whistle, likely the propane tanks being opened”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” neighbors stated to Italian media, mentioning that the trio had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Defence Minister the Defence Minister joined other elected representatives in honoring the three men who had died in the service of their country.