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Three police officers lost their lives and more than a dozen others were hurt in an apparently intentional detonation from gas at a rural property in Italy's north.

Sequence of Events

The explosion took place as police and firefighters entered the residence close to the Verona region to enforce an eviction order for two brothers and a sister aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three deceased individuals served in the Italian military police.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were arrested at the location and one more individual who ran away after the incident was found soon after. Each of them have been taken to medical facility.

The blast could be noticed as far as 3 miles distant and photographs from the location showed the property turned into a pile of rubble.

“This moment calls for sorrow,” stated the Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who noted that efforts had been made to evict the three siblings in the past.

Background and Motive

The head of the Veneto area, the regional head, said the farmhouse was under an removal notice due to unpaid amounts accrued by the siblings.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to speak to the brothers and sister who had barricaded themselves into the property. When the officers reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities believe one of the residents triggered the detonation.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” regional commander Claudio Papagno stated to news outlets.

A gas canister had been ignited, and the explosion immediately struck our personnel,” he added.

Incendiary devices were also found at the residence, the minister confirmed.

Impact Assessment

Those injured by the explosion included 11 other members of the Carabinieri as well as three members of national police and a emergency responder.

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

The official believed the blast had occurred on a floor above the entrance and stated to reporters it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Shortly before the incident, he mentioned officers had “heard a whistle, likely the propane tanks being turned on”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” nearby inhabitants stated to reporters, mentioning that the three had in the past stated to “cause an explosion” rather than vacate the property.

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

Minister of Defence Minister Crosetto joined other elected representatives in honoring the three officers who had died in the service of their country.