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Three police officers were killed and no fewer than 15 others were hurt in a seemingly intentional blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in the northern part of Italy.

Sequence of Events

The blast occurred as police and firefighters went into the property near the city of Verona to execute an removal notice for three siblings aged in their 50s and 60s.

Each of the three victims who died served in the Carabinieri military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

A man and a woman were arrested at the scene and one more individual who ran away subsequent to the incident was located not long after. All three have been taken to the hospital.

The explosion could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the location showed the property reduced to a mass of wreckage.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that previous tries had been made to displace the three family members in the past.

Property Situation

The president of the Veneto region, the regional head, said the residence was facing an court order due to debts accumulated by the three owners.

Mediators had been assigned to talk with the siblings who had secured themselves into the property. When the officers reached the location just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities believe one of the siblings caused the explosion.

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

A gas canister had been set off, and the detonation precisely impacted our members,” he explained.

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

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the explosion consisted of 11 other members of the police force as well as three members of national police and a emergency responder.

According to the prosecuting attorney, the farmhouse was in a derelict state and had was without power.

The prosecutor was convinced the detonation had occurred on a level above the access point and stated to journalists it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Moments before the blast, he revealed members had “heard a whistle, presumably the gas cylinders being activated”.

Neighbor Statements

“We all knew the situation was dire,” local residents told local news, adding that the trio had earlier warned to “detonate the property” rather than be evicted.

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

Minister of Defence Minister Crosetto united with other political leaders in paying tribute to the three men who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.