A woman was critically hurt and a five-year-old child was grievously injured when a flare lit a fire inside a car in Żejtun earlier on Sunday.

The victims were inside a Honda Accord car in Misraħ Karlu Diacono when the incident happened at around 1.15pm, as celebrations surrounding the Labour Party's electoral victory were under way. 

Emergency services required the help of Civil Protection Department members to put out the flames and effect the rescue.

The woman, who is 23 and from Marsascala, was seriously hurt in the incident. The child was grievously hurt while a 26-year-old Żabbar man who was also in the car was slightly injured.

Magistrate Rachel Montebello is leading an inquiry into the case.

It was the second election-related incident reported on Sunday, after a truck carrying Labour supporters crashed into a car in Marsa. Nobody was hurt in the incident but a pregnant woman was taken to hospital for observation.

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