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A trio of officers lost their lives and at least 15 people were hurt in what appears to be intentional detonation from gas at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

Sequence of Events

The blast took place as police and firefighters approached the residence near the city of Verona to execute an removal notice for two brothers and a sister who were older adults.

The three officers killed served in the Carabinieri military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the site and another man who ran away subsequent to the incident was located shortly later. Each of them have been taken to hospital.

The detonation could be audible as far as 3 miles distant and images from the location revealed the property reduced to a mass of wreckage.

“This is a time for grieving,” stated Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who mentioned that attempts had been made to remove the three family members in the previous occasions.

Property Situation

The leader of the Veneto region, the regional head, said the residence was subject to an removal notice due to financial obligations accrued by the three owners.

Negotiators had been sent to talk with the family members who had barricaded themselves into the house. When the police arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities believe one of the residents caused the blast.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” local police chief Commander Papagno told the media.

“A gas cylinder had been set off, and the detonation directly hit our officers,” he added.

Molotov cocktails were also located at the site, the Interior Minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

Those injured by the blast included an additional 11 personnel of the military police as well as a trio of personnel of national police and a emergency responder.

Based on information from the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a dilapidated shape and had no electricity.

He believed the detonation had happened on a story above the entrance and told the press it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Just prior to the blast, he said officers had “noticed a hissing sound, probably the propane tanks being turned on”.

Local Response

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors stated to reporters, noting that the family members had earlier warned to “detonate the property” rather than leave the house.

“The blast resulted in a ‘horrific, deeply distressing and tragic cost’.”

The Defense Minister the Defence Minister united with other elected representatives in honoring the three officers who had died in the line of duty.