A female Burning Man participant died on the first day of this year’s festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert on Sunday.
Burning Man emergency services personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive individual at 11:29AM in Black Rock City, according to a festival statement. Live saving measures were “immediately attempted but were unsuccessful,” organizers wrote.
The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said it was notified of the death at 11:37AM and deputies responded, the Reno Gazette Journal reports. The sheriff’s office has not yet released the participants name or age, pending next of kin notification. The individual’s cause of death is under investigation, pending autopsy results.
“It is with heavy hearts that Burning Man Project confirms the death of a participant in Black Rock City in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert,” the festival statement reads. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss.”
“The safety and well-being of our staff and community are paramount,” the statement continues. “We are cooperating fully with local authorities as they investigate this incident. The Pershing County Sheriff’s office investigates all deaths that occur in its jurisdiction. Out of respect for the privacy of the grieving family, we will not be providing further details at this time.”
At least seven deaths have occurred at previous editions of Burning Man, according to the Reno Gazette Journal, including the death of a 32-year-old California man who was found unresponsive at last year’s festival during a rainstorm that left the ordinarily dry festival site flooded and muddy.
Burning Man has already faced more weather challenges this year. On Saturday, the festival’s gates were temporarily closed due to rainy weather. This year’s event is scheduled to run through September 7, and is expected to draw 70,000 attendees, per Billboard.
Read Burning Man’s full statement here.
Featured image from Burning Man. Credit: Jan Philip Safarik.
