A bizarre, frightening incident at Nevada’s famous Burning Man festival has cost a man his life, after he broke through security to run into the flames during the festival’s ‘Man Burn’ event over the weekend.
The ‘Man Burn’ sees a 12 metre wooden effigy burnt as the crescendo of the event, which brings around 70,000 people flooding to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in the U.S., and the fire is guarded by a “human chain” of security, Billboard reports.
41 year old Aaron Joel Mitchell broke through security at 10:30pm on Saturday September 2 as he made his way towards the bonfire, running headlong into the flames. While he was rescued by firefighters, he later died of his injuries at California’s UC Davis hospital burn centre.
No further details or explanation has come to light as to why the man made the decision to hurl himself into the fire, but festival organisers have released a statement on the festival website.
Some further scheduled fires were cancelled, while others like the ‘Temple’ burn continued as planned.
Burning Man responds to death of Aaron Mitchell
Aaron Joel Mitchell, 41, succumbed Sunday morning to injuries suffered after breaking through a safety perimeter Saturday night and running into a fire at the annual Burning Man event in northern Nevada.
Mr. Mitchell’s family has been advised of his death. Burning Man is working with local and federal law enforcement agencies, and an investigation is currently ongoing.
After being pulled from the fire by Black Rock City fire personnel, Mr. Mitchell was treated on scene, transported to the on-site medical facility, and airlifted to UC Davis Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center. He succumbed after arriving at the burn center.
The Burning Man organization canceled scheduled burns through noon Sunday but will proceed with the scheduled Temple burn at 8 p.m. Sunday night.
We’re aware this incident has affected not only those who responded immediately on the scene, but also those who witnessed it, and our Black Rock City community more broadly. We are working to make resources available to those affected. Here are some available now:
Emotional support teams have been made available to participants and staff. For people on playa, the Zendo Project is providing peer counseling at their space at 5:15 & A. Support staff from our Emergency Services Department’s Crisis Intervention Team are stationed at 3:00 & C, 9:00 & C, and 5:30 & Esplanade. Please seek them out.
If you are not on playa and are feeling the need to talk to someone, don’t wait. You can reach 24/7 crisis and suicide hotlines at 1-800-273-8255 or 775-784-8090. You can also text LISTEN to 839863.
Now is a time for closeness, contact and community. Trauma needs processing. Promote calls, hugs, self-care, check-ins, and sleep. We have found this article helpful for understanding how trauma affects us: “A New Normal: Ten Things I’ve Learned About Trauma”.
