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Three police officers perished and more than a dozen people were hurt in an apparently intentional detonation from gas at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

Sequence of Events

The explosion occurred as law enforcement and fire personnel entered the house in the vicinity of Verona to carry out an eviction order for a brother and sister trio who were older adults.

All three deceased individuals belonged to the Carabinieri force.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were arrested at the location and one more individual who ran away following the incident was located shortly later. All three have been transported to medical facility.

The explosion could be heard approximately 5 kilometers away and photographs from the area revealed the property reduced to a mass of wreckage.

“We are in a period of mourning,” said the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who noted that efforts had been made to displace the brother and sister trio in the previous occasions.

Property Situation

The president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, said the farmhouse was subject to an eviction order due to debts accumulated by the property owners.

Negotiators had been assigned to talk with the brothers and sister who had locked themselves into the property. When the police arrived just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), officials think a family member caused the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” local police chief Claudio Papagno informed news outlets.

A gas canister had been activated, and the explosion immediately struck our officers,” he added.

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

Impact Assessment

Injured individuals by the incident included 11 other members of the military police as well as three officers of the state police and a emergency responder.

Based on information from the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a dilapidated shape and had was without power.

He believed the explosion had taken place on a story above the access point and informed the press it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Shortly before the incident, he revealed members had “detected a whistling noise, likely the propane tanks being turned on”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” local residents informed reporters, adding that the trio had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto joined other political leaders in paying tribute to the three officers who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.