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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBurning Man attendee dies after running into....Burning Man
(CNN)A man has died after running into the towering blaze for which Burning Man is named, according to the Pershing County Sheriff's Office in Nevada.
Aaron Joel Mitchell, 41, was one of thousands at the annual gathering in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, about 120 miles north of Reno. The weeklong event of pop-up installations culminates in massive burns of an effigy known as the "Man" on Saturday and the "Temple" on Sunday.
Mitchell was a US citizen who lived in Switzerland with his wife, Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said in a Sunday night statement.
Mitchell broke through two levels of security guards protecting the area where the "Man" was burning on Saturday night. Fire personnel attempted to pull him out but falling portions of the burning structure hindered their efforts. Rescuers had to wait until the structure fell before they could go back into the flames and safely extract him from the debris, the sheriff said.
He was airlifted to the nearest burn center, at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. He was pronounced dead at the hospital on Sunday morning, and his family has been notified, the sheriff's office said.
According to medical staff, Mitchell was not under the influence of alcohol and a toxicology screening is pending, the sheriff's office said. An investigation continues but the mass exodus of participants Sunday night made it increasingly difficult to gather information, Allen said.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/03/us/burning-man-festival-death/index.html
MineralMan
(146,308 posts)Sounds intentional, though. It would almost have to be. Perhaps some psychedelic drug was involved...
Brother Buzz
(36,433 posts)But parking oneself on a hot dry alkaline lake bed for days does take a toll on one's sanity
Lochloosa
(16,064 posts)It ruins the paint.
ripcord
(5,399 posts)Big rocket launch and a high altitude waiver is going to be tons of fun.
Not Ruth
(3,613 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,491 posts)Going to be hell for his family.
Baconator
(1,459 posts)Response to Baconator (Reply #4)
PdxSean This message was self-deleted by its author.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Fla_Democrat
(2,547 posts)"WTF healz!?!?!?!?!!!"
panader0
(25,816 posts)Alcohol was involved. As he prepared his run, some folks yelled "Streak it!".
He tried, getting his pants half down, before stumbling face first into the fire.
My friend saw him at the hospital. laying in a steel tub, asking "More ice..."
I use wood heat for my house. I am quite aware of the benefits and the
dangers of fire.