Death of woman on 1st day of Burning Man festival under investigation
BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nevada — Authorities said Monday they are investigating the death of a woman at the counterculture festival known as Burning Manheld annually in the northern Nevada desert.
According to the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office, emergency responders responded to a report of a woman found unresponsive around noon Sunday in Black Rock City, a temporary town set up for the festival about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Reno.
Burning Man Project emergency services were unable to save the woman’s life.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss,” festival organizers said in a statement. “We are fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate this incident.”
Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said in a statement that the investigation into the death will continue until the cause and cause are known. That information will be released after the autopsy is completed.
A call to the Washoe County Regional Coroner’s Office was not immediately returned Monday.
Allen said the woman’s name and age will not be released until her family members have been notified.
The festival started early Sunday morning, after the gates were closed for 12 hours due to rain and mud.
It is estimated that 20,000 people were already on the beach before the gates opened.
Burning Man runs until September 2, and organizers expect more than 70,000 visitors this year.
A 32-year-old California man died last year after he was found unconscious at the festival site. Authorities said they suspected drug intoxication.
In 2023, the 35th annual Burning Man festival was attended by an estimated 73,000 people and another 95,000 people attended regional events around the world.
The protests were disrupted by a blockade that was lifted by local authorities. About 1.5 centimeters of rain turned the beach into mud, making driving and cycling difficult.
Authorities set up cell towers and asked those present to stay put until the rain stopped.