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Three members of law enforcement were killed and no fewer than 15 additional individuals got wounded in what appears to be intentional blast caused by gas at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

Event Timeline

The explosion was triggered as police and firefighters entered the house in the vicinity of Verona to carry out an removal notice for three siblings in their late 50s and mid-60s.

Each of the three victims who died belonged to the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were taken into custody at the scene and one more individual who escaped following the incident was found not long after. All three have been taken to hospital.

The blast could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the area showed the building left as a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who added that previous tries had been made to displace the three siblings in the past.

Property Situation

The president of the Veneto region, the regional head, stated the residence was facing an eviction order due to financial obligations accumulated by the property owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been sent to engage the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the home. When the Carabinieri arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), officials suspect one of the residents set off the blast.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” provincial police commander the police commander told reporters.

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

Molotov cocktails were also found at the property, the interior minister said.

Injuries and Destruction

Those injured by the blast comprised eleven more officers of the police force as well as three officers of national police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the prosecuting attorney, the building was in a derelict state and had was without power.

He was convinced the explosion had taken place on a level above the doorway and told the press it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Moments before the incident, he mentioned personnel had “heard a whistle, likely the gas cylinders being opened”.

Neighbor Statements

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors stated to reporters, adding that the three had previously threatened to “blow themselves up” rather than be evicted.

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

Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto stood alongside other government officials in commemorating the three men who had lost their lives in the service of their country.