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A trio of officers lost their lives and more than a dozen others got wounded in an apparently deliberate detonation from gas at a country home in Italy's north.

How It Happened

The detonation was triggered as officers and emergency crews went into the house in the vicinity of Verona to carry out an removal notice for a brother and sister trio in their late 50s and mid-60s.

Each of the three deceased individuals served in the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were taken into custody at the site and another man who fled after the explosion was apprehended soon after. All three have been transported to hospital.

The blast could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and footage from the location displayed the building reduced to a heap of debris.

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

Background and Motive

The president of the Veneto area, the regional head, said the farmhouse was under an removal notice due to debts accumulated by the siblings.

Conflict resolution experts had been dispatched to engage the brothers and sister who had barricaded themselves into the house. When the officers came shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think one of the residents set off the blast.

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

“A gas cylinder had been ignited, and the blast precisely impacted our members,” he added.

Petrol bombs were also located at the property, the minister said.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the blast included an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three officers of Italy's state police and a emergency responder.

According to the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

The official was convinced the detonation had occurred on a floor above the access point and informed the press it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Moments before the incident, he mentioned officers had “noticed a hissing sound, likely the propane tanks being opened”.

Neighbor Statements

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors informed local news, mentioning that the three had earlier warned to “detonate the property” rather than leave the house.

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

The Defense Minister the Defence Minister united with other government officials in honoring the three officers who had been killed in the performance of their duties.