ROME -- Organizers say an Italian driver and navigator have been killed in an explosive crash at an annual rally in the Tuscan city of Lucca.

The 47th Lucca City Cup rally was canceled early Sunday after driver Valerio Catelani and navigator Daniela Bertoneri were killed in their Peugeot 207 S2000.

In a statement, the rally organizers said the two were a few miles into the early morning leg when their car slammed into a protective barrier and burst into flames. Lucca is about 45 miles west of Florence.

In June, a Welsh navigator Gareth Roberts was killed during the Targa Florio rally around northern Siciliy when his car went off the road and a guard rail pierced the passenger side.