🔗 Share this article

A trio of officers were killed and no fewer than 15 people sustained injuries in what appears to be premeditated gas explosion at a country home in the northern part of Italy.

Sequence of Events

The detonation occurred as officers and emergency crews approached the residence in the vicinity of Verona to carry out an removal notice for three siblings in their late 50s and mid-60s.

All three officers killed belonged to the Carabinieri force.

Legal Proceedings

One male and one female were taken into custody at the location and one more individual who fled after the incident was located soon after. Each of them have been taken to hospital.

The explosion could be heard approximately 5 kilometers away and images from the area revealed the building left as a pile of rubble.

“This is a time for grieving,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who added that efforts had been made to evict the three family members in the previous occasions.

Property Situation

The head of the Veneto area, the regional head, said the property was subject to an eviction order due to debts incurred by the three owners.

Conflict resolution experts had been dispatched to speak to the siblings who had secured themselves into the house. When the Carabinieri arrived soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators suspect one of the residents caused the detonation.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” local police chief the police commander stated to the media.

A propane tank had been activated, and the explosion immediately struck our personnel,” he said.

Incendiary devices were also located at the residence, the interior minister confirmed.

Injuries and Destruction

Injured individuals by the blast comprised an additional 11 personnel of the military police as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a emergency responder.

Based on information from the Verona prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

The prosecutor believed the explosion had taken place on a level above the access point and stated to reporters it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Moments before the blast, he said officers had “detected a whistling noise, presumably the gas cylinders being turned on”.

Neighbor Statements

“All of us understood the scenario was critical,” neighbors informed reporters, mentioning that the three had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than leave the house.

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

Defence Minister the Defence Minister united with other political leaders in honoring the three officers who had lost their lives in the service of their country.