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A trio of officers lost their lives and more than a dozen others were hurt in a seemingly intentional detonation from gas at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

How It Happened

The detonation was triggered as officers and emergency crews approached the residence in the vicinity of the city of Verona to execute an eviction order for two brothers and a sister aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three officers killed were members of the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the scene and a third person who fled subsequent to the explosion was located shortly later. All three have been transported to medical facility.

The explosion could be audible approximately 5 kilometers away and photographs from the location displayed the structure reduced to a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that efforts had been made to evict the three family members in the earlier times.

Property Situation

The leader of the Veneto area, President Zaia, explained the property was subject to an eviction order due to financial obligations incurred by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been dispatched to speak to the siblings who had secured themselves into the property. When the police reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities suspect one of the residents caused the detonation.

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

A propane tank had been activated, and the explosion precisely impacted our members,” he said.

Petrol bombs were also found at the site, the Interior Minister said.

Casualties and Damage

Those injured by the explosion consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three members of the state police and a fire services member.

According to the Verona prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had was without power.

He thought the detonation had taken place on a level above the entrance and told journalists it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Moments before the explosion, he revealed officers had “detected a whistling noise, likely the propane tanks being turned on”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors told local news, adding that the trio had in the past stated to “detonate the property” rather than be evicted.

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

Defence Minister the Defence Minister united with other elected representatives in commemorating the three men who had lost their lives in the line of duty.