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Three members of law enforcement were killed and more than a dozen others sustained injuries in a seemingly intentional gas explosion at a rural property in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The blast was triggered as police and firefighters approached the house close to the Verona region to enforce an eviction order for two brothers and a sister who were older adults.

Each of the three officers killed belonged to the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

A man and a woman got detained at the location and another man who fled subsequent to the blast was found not long after. All three have been transported to medical facility.

The detonation could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and footage from the scene showed the building reduced to a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” said the Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who mentioned that efforts had been made to displace the brother and sister trio in the earlier times.

Property Situation

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

Mediators had been assigned to speak to the family members who had secured themselves into the house. When the police came just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators think one of the residents triggered the detonation.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” regional commander Commander Papagno stated to news outlets.

A gas canister had been activated, and the explosion directly hit our members,” he explained.

Molotov cocktails were also discovered at the site, the interior minister said.

Impact Assessment

Those injured by the blast included eleven more officers of the Carabinieri as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a emergency responder.

Based on information from the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had no electricity.

He believed the explosion had happened on a level above the entrance and stated to the press it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Just prior to the explosion, he said members had “noticed a hissing sound, probably the gas cylinders being opened”.

Neighbor Statements

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” nearby inhabitants informed reporters, adding that the family members had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than leave the house.

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

Minister of Defence Minister Crosetto united with other political leaders in paying tribute to the three men who had died in the performance of their duties.