Death of woman on first day of Burning Man festival under investigation | World News

The Pershing County Sheriff's Office said emergency crews responded to a 911 call about a woman found unconscious around noon Sunday in Black Rock City, a makeshift town built for the festival about 100 miles north of Reno.

Attempts by the Burning Man Project rescue team to save the woman’s life were unsuccessful.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends who have suffered this loss,” the festival organizers said in a statement. “We are cooperating fully with local authorities in their investigation of this incident.”

Since the festival moved from Baker Beach in San Francisco to the Black Rock Desert in 1990, about half a dozen other deaths have been reported. Last year, a 32-year-old California man died of suspected drug poisoning after being found unconscious on the festival grounds.

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said in a statement that Sunday's death remains under investigation pending the cause and circumstances of the death. An update will be provided once the autopsy is completed.

A call to the Washoe County Coroner's Office was not immediately returned Monday.

Allen said the woman's name and age would not be released until her relatives were notified.

The festival, which combines wilderness camping with a week-long celebration of art for art's sake, began early Sunday after the gates were closed for 12 hours due to rain and mud.

An estimated 20,000 people were already on the beach before the gates were officially opened to all ticket holders.

Burning Man runs until September 2nd. The organizers expect more than 70,000 visitors this year.

Known for its colorful theme camps, giant sculptures, drum circles, art cars and avant-garde theater performances, the city's visitor numbers grew from about 4,000 in 1995 to 50,000 in 2010, temporarily making it Nevada's third-largest city after the metropolises of Las Vegas and Reno.

In 2023, an estimated 73,000 people attended the 35th annual Burning Man festival, with another 95,000 participating in regional events around the world.

The event was interrupted by a protest blockade that was lifted by local authorities. About an inch and a half of rain turned the playa into mud, making driving and cycling almost impossible.

Authorities installed cell phone towers and asked visitors to stay home until the rain stopped.

Other deaths recorded at Burning Man over the years include a woman who was hit by a bus in 2014 and a visitor who fell under a trailer in 2007. In 1996, a friend of Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey was killed in a collision with a delivery truck while riding his motorcycle at night.

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