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Three police officers lost their lives and more than a dozen people sustained injuries in a seemingly premeditated gas explosion at a rural property in the northern part of Italy.

How It Happened

The detonation took place as officers and emergency crews entered the property close to the Verona region to carry out an eviction order for three siblings aged in their 50s and 60s.

All three victims who died were members of the Italian military police.

Legal Proceedings

A man and a woman were taken into custody at the scene and another man who ran away following the explosion was found shortly later. The trio have been admitted to the hospital.

The detonation could be noticed as far as 3 miles distant and images from the scene revealed the building reduced to a heap of debris.

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

Financial Context

The leader of the Veneto area, President Zaia, said the property was under an eviction order due to financial obligations accrued by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been dispatched to talk with the family members who had barricaded themselves into the property. When the Carabinieri came soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators think a family member caused the explosion.

“As we went inside, we encountered a completely deranged action,” local police chief the police commander informed reporters.

“A gas cylinder had been activated, and the blast immediately struck our members,” he added.

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

Impact Assessment

The wounded by the blast consisted of eleven more officers of the police force as well as a trio of personnel of national police and a fire services member.

As stated by the local prosecutor, the property was in a derelict state and had lacked electrical service.

He believed the blast had happened on a level above the doorway and stated to journalists it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Moments before the incident, he mentioned members had “noticed a hissing sound, presumably the propane tanks being activated”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors told reporters, mentioning that the family members had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Minister of Defence the Defence Minister joined other elected representatives in commemorating the trio of personnel who had been killed in the performance of their duties.