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Three police officers perished and more than a dozen people were hurt in what appears to be deliberate gas explosion at a country home in Italy's north.

Sequence of Events

The detonation occurred as officers and emergency crews entered the property in the vicinity of the Verona region to carry out an removal notice for three siblings who were older adults.

The three victims who died belonged to the Carabinieri military police.

Legal Proceedings

A man and a woman were arrested at the scene and one more individual who ran away after the explosion was apprehended shortly later. The trio have been taken to the hospital.

The detonation could be noticed some 5km (3 miles) away and photographs from the scene revealed the structure left as a pile of rubble.

“We are in a period of mourning,” stated the Interior Minister the Interior Minister, who noted that attempts had been made to displace the three siblings in the earlier times.

Background and Motive

The president of the region of Veneto, President Zaia, explained the residence was under an court order due to unpaid amounts accumulated by the three owners.

Negotiators had been sent to engage the brothers and sister who had locked themselves into the home. When the officers reached the location soon after 03:00 (01:00 GMT), investigators suspect one of the residents caused the blast.

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

A gas canister had been activated, and the blast immediately struck our personnel,” he explained.

Petrol bombs were also discovered at the site, the interior minister said.

Casualties and Damage

Those injured by the incident included an additional 11 personnel of the military police as well as three officers of Italy's state police and a firefighter.

According to the local prosecutor, the building was in a poor condition and had lacked electrical service.

The prosecutor was convinced the blast had occurred on a floor above the entrance and told reporters it was a “deliberate and pre-planned murder”. Just prior to the incident, he said personnel had “noticed a hissing sound, probably the gas canisters being turned on”.

Local Response

“Everyone was aware the circumstances were severe,” neighbors informed Italian media, noting that the three had earlier warned to “blow themselves up” rather than be evicted.

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

Defence Minister the Defence Minister stood alongside other political leaders in commemorating the trio of personnel who had been killed in the service of their country.