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Three police officers lost their lives and more than a dozen others got wounded in what appears to be deliberate gas explosion at a rural property in Italy's north.

How It Happened

The detonation took place as law enforcement and fire personnel went into the residence near Verona to carry out an court-ordered eviction for two brothers and a sister aged in their 50s and 60s.

The three deceased individuals served in the Italian military police.

Arrests and Aftermath

Two individuals were arrested at the location and one more individual who escaped following the incident was located soon after. The trio have been admitted to the hospital.

The detonation could be audible some 5km (3 miles) away and images from the area showed the structure reduced to a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” said the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who mentioned that attempts had been made to remove the brother and sister trio in the past.

Background and Motive

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

Negotiators had been assigned to engage the brothers and sister who had locked themselves into the home. When the police reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities believe one of the residents triggered the detonation.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” regional commander Commander Papagno told news outlets.

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

Incendiary devices were also found at the site, the interior minister stated.

Injuries and Destruction

The wounded by the incident comprised 11 other members of the police force as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a fire services member.

According to the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had was without power.

The prosecutor believed the detonation had happened on a story above the doorway and told reporters it was a “premeditated and voluntary homicide”. Moments before the incident, he said officers had “noticed a hissing sound, presumably the gas cylinders being opened”.

Local Response

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” nearby inhabitants informed reporters, adding that the trio had in the past stated to “blow themselves up” rather than leave the house.

“The blast resulted in a ‘horrific, deeply distressing and tragic cost’.”

Defence Minister the Defence Minister joined other political leaders in commemorating the trio of personnel who had lost their lives in the performance of their duties.