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Three police officers perished and more than a dozen people got wounded in a seemingly intentional gas explosion at a rural property in Italy's north.

How It Happened

The detonation took place as police and firefighters went into the property near the city of Verona to carry out an removal notice for three siblings aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three victims who died served in the Italian military police.

Investigation Developments

One male and one female got detained at the site and one more individual who escaped subsequent to the explosion was apprehended soon after. Each of them have been admitted to hospital.

The explosion could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the location displayed the building turned into a heap of debris.

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

Financial Context

The head of the region of Veneto, Luca Zaia, explained the residence was subject to an removal notice due to financial obligations accrued by the property owners.

Mediators had been assigned to engage the siblings who had barricaded themselves into the house. When the officers came just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), officials believe one of the residents set off the explosion.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” provincial police commander Commander Papagno told the media.

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

Molotov cocktails were also discovered at the residence, the interior minister stated.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the explosion consisted of an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three officers of Italy's state police and a fire services member.

As stated by the prosecuting attorney, the property was in a dilapidated shape and had no electricity.

He thought the explosion had happened on a level above the entrance and informed reporters it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Just prior to the explosion, he said members had “heard a whistle, likely the gas cylinders being activated”.

Neighbor Statements

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors stated to Italian media, noting that the three had previously threatened 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 political leaders in commemorating the trio of personnel who had died in the line of duty.