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Three members of law enforcement were killed and more than a dozen people sustained injuries in a seemingly intentional detonation from gas at a farmhouse in the northern part of Italy.

Event Timeline

The blast took place as officers and emergency crews approached the property in the vicinity of the city of Verona to enforce an eviction order for three siblings who were older adults.

The three officers killed were members of the Carabinieri force.

Investigation Developments

Two individuals got detained at the scene and one more individual who fled following the incident was apprehended soon after. All three have been admitted to the hospital.

The blast could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the location displayed the property reduced to a heap of debris.

“This is a time for grieving,” said Interior Minister Minister Piantedosi, who added that attempts had been made to remove the three siblings in the past.

Financial Context

The president of the region of Veneto, the regional head, stated the farmhouse was under an eviction order due to debts incurred by the property owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been assigned to engage the family members who had secured themselves into the house. When the Carabinieri reached the location shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators suspect one of the siblings set off the detonation.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” provincial police commander the police commander stated to the media.

A propane tank had been ignited, and the blast directly hit our personnel,” he said.

Molotov cocktails were also discovered at the residence, the Interior Minister stated.

Casualties and Damage

Injured individuals by the blast included an additional 11 personnel of the police force as well as three members of national police and a firefighter.

According to the prosecuting attorney, the building was in a poor condition and had no electricity.

He was convinced the blast had taken place on a level above the doorway and informed the press it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Shortly before the explosion, he said officers had “detected a whistling noise, probably the gas cylinders being turned on”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” local residents informed Italian media, adding that the trio had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than leave the house.

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

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto joined other elected representatives in paying tribute to the three men who had lost their lives in the service of their country.