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Three police officers were killed and at least 15 people got wounded in an apparently deliberate blast caused by gas at a rural property in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The explosion occurred as law enforcement and fire personnel entered the house near the city of Verona to execute an court-ordered eviction for three siblings who were older adults.

The three officers killed were members of the Carabinieri force.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were arrested at the scene and one more individual who escaped subsequent to the explosion was located soon after. All three have been admitted to hospital.

The blast could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the area revealed the building reduced to a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who added that efforts had been made to displace the three siblings in the earlier times.

Background and Motive

The president of the Veneto area, President Zaia, stated the farmhouse was facing an eviction order due to debts accumulated by the property owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been sent to speak to the siblings who had locked themselves into the property. When the Carabinieri came just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators believe a family member set off the detonation.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” provincial police commander Claudio Papagno stated to the media.

A gas canister had been ignited, and the detonation directly hit our officers,” he added.

Molotov cocktails were also found at the residence, the interior minister stated.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the blast included 11 other members of the military police as well as three officers of national police and a emergency responder.

As stated by the Verona prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a derelict state and had lacked electrical service.

The prosecutor thought the blast had taken place on a story above the entrance and told the press it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Just prior to the blast, he said officers had “noticed a hissing sound, presumably the gas cylinders being turned on”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” neighbors told reporters, adding that the family members had in the past stated to “detonate the property” rather than leave the house.

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

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