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Three members of law enforcement lost their lives and at least 15 additional individuals got wounded in what appears to be premeditated blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in Italy's north.

Event Timeline

The blast took place as officers and emergency crews approached the property near the city of Verona to enforce an court-ordered eviction for a brother and sister trio in their late 50s and mid-60s.

Each of the three officers killed belonged to the Carabinieri force.

Investigation Developments

Two individuals were taken into custody at the location and a third person who ran away following the incident was apprehended shortly later. All three have been admitted to hospital.

The detonation could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the area revealed the structure left as a mass of wreckage.

“This moment calls for sorrow,” said the Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who mentioned that efforts had been made to evict the three siblings in the previous occasions.

Property Situation

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

Conflict resolution experts had been sent to talk with the brothers and sister who had secured themselves into the house. When the police reached the location shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators believe one of the siblings caused the blast.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” local police chief Claudio Papagno informed reporters.

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the detonation directly hit our personnel,” he said.

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

Injuries and Destruction

Those injured by the incident consisted of eleven more officers of the military police as well as three officers of Italy's state police and a fire services member.

As stated by the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a derelict state and had no electricity.

The prosecutor believed the blast had occurred on a floor above the doorway and informed reporters it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Shortly before the incident, he mentioned personnel had “detected a whistling noise, probably the gas canisters being opened”.

Community Reaction

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” nearby inhabitants informed Italian media, mentioning that the trio had previously threatened to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Minister of Defence the Defence Minister joined other government officials in commemorating the three officers who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.