SYDNEY, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- A man and woman have been hospitalized with serious injuries following a shooting and car crash in Melbourne's northern suburbs in Australia.

A police statement said that emergency services were called to reports of a car and truck colliding in the suburb of Epping, 20 km north of central Melbourne, around 9:30 p.m. on Monday.

One of the occupants of the car, a 23-year-old male, was found to have serious injuries consistent with gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital.

A second occupant, an 18-year-old female, was also taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries consistent with the collision.

The driver of the truck was not injured. Police said that investigators do not believe that the truck driver had any involvement in the shooting.

Officers attending the scene found a third vehicle on fire a short distance away from the crash site.

A significant crime scene has been established, police said, and investigators are working to determine if the car fire was linked to the shooting and subsequent collision. ■