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Three police officers were killed and more than a dozen people were hurt in an apparently intentional blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The blast was triggered as police and firefighters approached the property in the vicinity of Verona to execute an eviction order for a brother and sister trio who were older adults.

The three officers killed belonged to the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were taken into custody at the scene and another man who ran away following the incident was apprehended shortly later. All three have been admitted to hospital.

The explosion could be audible approximately 5 kilometers away and images from the area revealed the building reduced to a heap of debris.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who added that efforts had been made to remove the three family members in the past.

Background and Motive

The head of the Veneto region, President Zaia, explained the farmhouse was subject to an court order due to financial obligations accrued by the siblings.

Negotiators had been sent to talk with the siblings who had barricaded themselves into the home. When the police reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think one of the residents triggered the detonation.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” provincial police commander the police commander informed the media.

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the explosion immediately struck our officers,” he explained.

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

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the incident consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as a trio of personnel of national police and a fire services member.

As stated by the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

He was convinced the blast had happened on a story above the access point and informed the press it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Just prior to the incident, he said members had “noticed a hissing sound, presumably the gas cylinders being turned on”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” neighbors informed local news, mentioning that the three had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than leave the house.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto stood alongside other elected representatives in paying tribute to the three officers who had lost their lives in the service of their country.