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A trio of officers lost their lives and no fewer than 15 people sustained injuries in what appears to be deliberate gas explosion at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

Sequence of Events

The explosion took place as law enforcement and fire personnel entered the house in the vicinity of the Verona region to execute an removal notice for three siblings in their late 50s and mid-60s.

Each of the three deceased individuals belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the scene and one more individual who fled after the incident was found shortly later. All three have been admitted to hospital.

The detonation could be noticed approximately 5 kilometers away and footage from the scene revealed the property left as a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” said the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that previous tries had been made to remove the three siblings in the earlier times.

Property Situation

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

Mediators had been sent to speak to the family members who had secured themselves into the property. When the officers reached the location shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators believe a family member caused the blast.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” regional commander the police commander told the media.

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the blast directly hit our officers,” he added.

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

Injuries and Destruction

Those injured by the blast consisted of 11 other members of the police force as well as three members of national police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the local prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

The official was convinced the explosion had taken place on a floor above the doorway and told reporters it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Just prior to the blast, he mentioned personnel had “detected a whistling noise, presumably the gas cylinders being opened”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors told Italian media, adding that the family members had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than be evicted.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto joined other elected representatives in paying tribute to the three officers who had died in the line of duty.