Three police officers have been killed after they opened a door to a rural Italian farmhouse that had been intentionally filled with gas, igniting a massive explosion.

The Italian carabinieri officers had been sent to the property near the northeastern city of Verona to evict three siblings who had occupied the abandoned building about a year ago.

Another 11 carabinieri (the national militarised police force of Italy), three state police officers and a firefighter were also injured in the blast.

Verona's carabinieri commander, Colonel Claudio Pagano, said the action of the people inside was "an absolutely crazy gesture".

Image: Pic: LaPresse/AP

He added: "While our carabinieri were carrying out a judicial order, they were hit by an intentional explosion of a gas tank."

Italian Prem

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