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A trio of officers were killed and no fewer than 15 others were hurt in a seemingly premeditated gas explosion at a farmhouse in Italy's north.

Sequence of Events

The detonation took place as police and firefighters entered the property in the vicinity of Verona to execute an removal notice for a brother and sister trio aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three victims who died belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

One male and one female were taken into custody at the location and a third person who fled after the explosion was apprehended shortly later. The trio have been admitted to hospital.

The blast could be heard approximately 5 kilometers away and images from the location revealed the building left as a heap of debris.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented the Minister of the Interior Minister Piantedosi, who mentioned that efforts had been made to evict the three siblings in the past.

Property Situation

The leader of the Veneto region, the regional head, stated the farmhouse was under an eviction order due to unpaid amounts incurred by the property owners.

Negotiators had been dispatched to speak to the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the home. When the officers arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators believe one of the siblings caused the explosion.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” regional commander Commander Papagno informed reporters.

“A gas cylinder had been ignited, and the blast directly hit our members,” he said.

Incendiary devices were also located at the residence, the minister said.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the explosion included an additional 11 personnel of the Carabinieri as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a derelict state and had no electricity.

The official believed the explosion had occurred on a story above the doorway and informed journalists it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Just prior to the explosion, he said officers had “heard a whistle, probably the gas cylinders being activated”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” nearby inhabitants informed Italian media, mentioning that the family members had previously threatened to “cause an explosion” rather than vacate the property.

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

The Defense Minister the Defence Minister joined other political leaders in honoring the three men who had been killed in the performance of their duties.