🔗 Share this article

Three police officers were killed and no fewer than 15 additional individuals were hurt in a seemingly premeditated gas explosion at a farmhouse in the northern part of Italy.

How It Happened

The explosion occurred as officers and emergency crews entered the residence in the vicinity of Verona to enforce an court-ordered eviction for three siblings in their late 50s and mid-60s.

The three deceased individuals were members of the Carabinieri force.

Arrests and Aftermath

One male and one female were taken into custody at the scene and another man who fled following the incident was apprehended soon after. All three have been taken to the hospital.

The explosion could be audible approximately 5 kilometers away and images from the location revealed the structure left as a heap of debris.

“This moment calls for sorrow,” commented the Minister of the Interior the Interior Minister, who added that attempts had been made to displace the brother and sister trio in the previous occasions.

Property Situation

The head of the Veneto area, President Zaia, explained the property was facing an eviction order due to unpaid amounts accumulated by the siblings.

Mediators had been assigned to engage the family members who had locked themselves into the home. When the Carabinieri arrived shortly after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), authorities think one of the siblings triggered the detonation.

“Upon entering the house, we were confronted with an act of absolute madness,” local police chief Commander Papagno informed news outlets.

“A gas cylinder had been set off, and the blast precisely impacted our members,” he said.

Petrol bombs were also located at the site, the Interior Minister confirmed.

Injuries and Destruction

Those injured by the explosion included 11 other members of the Carabinieri as well as a trio of personnel of Italy's state police and a fire services member.

As stated by the Verona prosecutor, the farmhouse was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

The prosecutor believed the detonation had occurred on a story above the doorway and stated to journalists it was a “intentional and planned killing”. Moments before the explosion, he mentioned members had “heard a whistle, likely the gas canisters being activated”.

Community Reaction

“We all knew the situation was dire,” neighbors stated to reporters, adding that the trio had earlier warned to “cause an explosion” rather than vacate the property.

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

The Defense Minister Minister Crosetto stood alongside other political leaders in honoring the three men who had been killed in the performance of their duties.