Police ID Woman Burned In Salvage Yard Fire

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Ft. Lauderdale police police have released the name of a photographer's assistant who was badly burned during a photo shoot at a salvage yard.

She has been identified as 48-year old Jenny Meiler of Boca Raton.

Meiler was helping photographer Helmut Montoya last week when a fire erupted in a car they were using at 2731 NW 19th Street.

According to Ft. Lauderdale fire investigators, Montoya was taking pictures of a broken down car lit by candles when they suspect gas vapors ignited. Montoya's wife, Stacey, said Meiler was in the car when the fire erupted.

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"She is in very bad condition," Montoya said. "She was completely engulfed in flames. My husband said at one point they were 2 to 3 feet high and that she was probably on fire for three minutes."

She said her husband's face and hands caught fire while he tried to save Meiler.

Luis Hernandez, who works at the junkyard, said he raced over to help and used a fire extinguisher to help extinguish Meiler.