A Romanian and an Italian died in an explosion in Italy after allegedly handling explosive material

A 26-year-old Romanian man and a 41-year-old Italian man died on the night of September 3–4, 2026, following an explosion in a villa in a rural area of Andria, near Castel del Monte, Italy. Investigators are examining the hypothesis that the two were handling explosive material intended for a possible attack on an ATM.

The victims were identified with difficulty because of the condition in which their bodies were found. The Romanian was Costantin Mocanu, a resident of Andria, while the Italian, Giandomenico Palmieri, was from Stornara. The identification was based, among other things, on reports concerning the disappearance of the two men and on personal items recovered from the site of the explosion.

The main hypothesis is that the men were preparing a “marmotta,” an improvised device used to blow up ATMs and postal machines. The material allegedly detonated accidentally during handling. Police are checking whether an attack had been planned that night and whether other people left the area after the blast.

The investigation is being coordinated by the Trani Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators are trying to establish the origin of the explosives and are tracing the route of a stolen Ford Kuga found near the victims. The links between the villa’s owners and people known to law enforcement are also being examined.