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Three members of law enforcement were killed and at least 15 others got wounded in what appears to be premeditated gas explosion at a farmhouse in the northern part of Italy.

Event Timeline

The detonation occurred as officers and emergency crews entered the house near the city of Verona to execute an eviction order for two brothers and a sister in their late 50s and mid-60s.

The three deceased individuals were members of the Carabinieri military police.

Investigation Developments

A man and a woman were arrested at the location and one more individual who ran away after the incident was apprehended shortly later. All three have been taken to hospital.

The blast could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the scene revealed the building reduced to a heap of debris.

“This moment calls for sorrow,” said Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who added that attempts had been made to evict the three family members in the earlier times.

Property Situation

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

Mediators had been dispatched to speak to the siblings who had secured themselves into the house. When the Carabinieri reached the location just after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators suspect a family member caused the explosion.

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

A gas canister had been activated, and the detonation precisely impacted our members,” he added.

Petrol bombs were also found at the property, the interior minister said.

Casualties and Damage

The wounded by the explosion included an additional 11 personnel of the Carabinieri as well as three members of Italy's state police and a firefighter.

Based on information from the Verona prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a derelict state and had no electricity.

He thought the explosion had occurred on a story above the entrance and stated to the press it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Shortly before the explosion, he revealed members had “detected a whistling noise, probably the gas canisters being turned on”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” local residents told reporters, adding that the three had in the past stated to “blow themselves up” rather than leave the house.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto united with other government officials in paying tribute to the three officers who had died in the service of their country.