Three members of law enforcement were killed and more than a dozen people sustained injuries in an apparently intentional detonation from gas at a rural property in Italy's north.
The detonation was triggered as police and firefighters entered the property in the vicinity of the city of Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for a brother and sister trio aged in their 50s and 60s.
The three victims who died were members of the Carabinieri military police.
Two individuals got detained at the location and another man who escaped after the explosion was found shortly later. All three have been transported to medical facility.
The detonation could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and footage from the area showed the building reduced to a mass of wreckage.
“We are in a period of mourning,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who noted that attempts had been made to displace the three family members in the past.
The leader of the Veneto area, the regional head, stated the residence was subject to an eviction order due to debts incurred by the siblings.
Mediators had been sent to talk with the siblings who had locked themselves into the property. When the Carabinieri arrived soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators think a family member caused the explosion.
“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” provincial police commander the police commander stated to the media.
“A gas cylinder had been set off, and the explosion precisely impacted our personnel,” he explained.
Incendiary devices were also found at the residence, the interior minister stated.
Injured individuals by the blast consisted of eleven more officers of the Carabinieri as well as three members of Italy's state police and a firefighter.
As stated by the prosecuting attorney, the property was in a derelict state and had lacked electrical service.
The prosecutor believed the blast had happened on a floor above the doorway and informed journalists it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Shortly before the incident, he mentioned officers had “heard a whistle, probably the gas cylinders being opened”.
“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors told Italian media, mentioning that the family members had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.
“The blast resulted in a ‘horrific, deeply distressing and tragic cost’.”
Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto stood alongside other government officials in honoring the trio of personnel who had been killed in the performance of their duties.
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