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Three members of law enforcement lost their lives and more than a dozen additional individuals were hurt in a seemingly intentional blast caused by gas at a farmhouse in the northern part of Italy.

How It Happened

The blast was triggered as officers and emergency crews entered the residence in the vicinity of Verona to execute an eviction order for three siblings who were older adults.

The three victims who died belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Investigation Developments

Two individuals were taken into custody at the site and one more individual who fled after the explosion was located shortly later. Each of them have been admitted to hospital.

The blast could be heard as far as 3 miles distant and footage from the scene revealed the property left as a mass of wreckage.

“We are in a period of mourning,” commented the Minister of the Interior the Interior Minister, who noted that efforts had been made to remove the brother and sister trio in the previous occasions.

Background and Motive

The president of the Veneto region, President Zaia, said the residence was under an court order due to financial obligations accumulated by the three owners.

Mediators had been assigned to speak to the family members who had secured themselves into the property. When the officers arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think one of the siblings set off the detonation.

“When we entered the property, we faced an utterly insane act,” regional commander Claudio Papagno stated to news outlets.

A gas canister had been set off, and the blast precisely impacted our officers,” he added.

Molotov cocktails were also found at the residence, the Interior Minister said.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the explosion consisted of eleven more officers of the military police as well as three officers of the state police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the local prosecutor, the building was in a dilapidated shape and had was without power.

The prosecutor was convinced the detonation had happened on a floor above the access point and stated to reporters it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Just prior to the explosion, he mentioned officers had “noticed a hissing sound, probably the gas canisters being turned on”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” nearby inhabitants told Italian media, mentioning that the trio had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Minister of Defence the Defence Minister stood alongside other political leaders in honoring the trio of personnel who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.