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RandySF

(58,823 posts)
Mon Sep 4, 2017, 03:52 PM Sep 2017

Burning 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

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Burning Man attendee dies after running into....Burning Man (Original Post) RandySF Sep 2017 OP
Wow! That's terrible. MineralMan Sep 2017 #1
Perhaps some psychedelic drug were involved.... Brother Buzz Sep 2017 #3
I read that rental car companies will not rent cars for BM. Lochloosa Sep 2017 #7
I'm heading up to Black Rock next week ripcord Sep 2017 #8
That is one way to be remembered forever Not Ruth Sep 2017 #2
THE Burning Man. KY_EnviroGuy Sep 2017 #5
What could have caused such a thing? Baconator Sep 2017 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author PdxSean Sep 2017 #6
bad idea Warren DeMontague Sep 2017 #9
Let me guess....... Fla_Democrat Sep 2017 #10
I knew a gymnast long ago who was going to vault over a bonfire. panader0 Sep 2017 #11

MineralMan

(146,308 posts)
1. Wow! That's terrible.
Mon Sep 4, 2017, 03:54 PM
Sep 2017

Sounds intentional, though. It would almost have to be. Perhaps some psychedelic drug was involved...

Brother Buzz

(36,433 posts)
3. Perhaps some psychedelic drug were involved....
Mon Sep 4, 2017, 04:02 PM
Sep 2017

But parking oneself on a hot dry alkaline lake bed for days does take a toll on one's sanity

ripcord

(5,399 posts)
8. I'm heading up to Black Rock next week
Mon Sep 4, 2017, 04:59 PM
Sep 2017

Big rocket launch and a high altitude waiver is going to be tons of fun.

Response to Baconator (Reply #4)

panader0

(25,816 posts)
11. I knew a gymnast long ago who was going to vault over a bonfire.
Mon Sep 4, 2017, 06:15 PM
Sep 2017

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.

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