A newspaper delivery woman in Washington state may have saved a carrier for a rival paper from burning to death in his van.

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Jackie Mincey helped Florentino Martinez, who lost a leg to diabetes, get out of the van Saturday morning, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported. Mincey was also the one who spotted flames coming from under Martinez's van.

"She saved my life," Martinez said.

Martinez's troubles began when he got stuck in the snow while delivering the Herald-Republic to a house in Prosser.

Mincey, delivering the Tri-City Herald to the same house, helped push him free twice.

As Martinez tried to drive off the property, Mincey saw the flames. She tried to use snow to douse the fire and then helped Martinez get out with his walker.

Martinez said Mincey stayed with him until the firefighters and his wife got to the house.