Man Dies After Rushing Into Burning Man Festival Flames, Temple Burn Proceeds
BLACK ROCK CITY, Nev. (AP) — The Latest on the man who died at the Burning Man festival (all times local):
4 p.m.
Burning Man organizers say they still plan to hold the Nevada festival's famed temple burning even after the death of a man who ran into the flames of its signature Man Burn event.
Authorities are investigating the death of 41-year-old Aaron Joel Mitchell, who broke through a security perimeter Saturday night to reach the fire.
Mitchell died Sunday morning at the UC Davis hospital burn center in California.
Burning Man organizers said in a statement that they had cancelled burns through noon Sunday, but would go ahead with the 8 p.m. temple burn, which signals the end of the nine-day festival.
Organizers are also offering emotional support counseling at the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert.
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2:30 p.m.
The man who died after running into the flames at the Burning Man festival's signature burning ceremony has been identified.
Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen identified the man as 41-year-old Aaron Joel Mitchell.
Mitchell died Sunday morning at the UC Davis hospital burn center in California.
The man ran through two-layers of security officers at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday during the Man Burn event at the counterculture festival.
Allen said doctors confirmed Mitchell wasn't under the influence of alcohol but that a toxicology report is pending as part of the investigation.
There have been injuries reported before but Allen said this is the first fatality he's aware of in his 15 years with the county.
A Burning Man spokesman didn't immediately respond when asked for comment.
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12:30 p.m.
A Nevada sheriff says the man who ran into the flames at the Burning Man festival's signature burning ceremony has died.
Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen says the man ran through a human-chain of security officers at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday during the Man Burn event at the counter-culture festival.
The sheriff says the man was rescued by firefighters and later died at the UC Davis hospital burn center in California.
About 70,000 people are attending the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Reno.
The nine-day event culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood. Attendees have tried to run into the flames as a symbol of rebirth.
Festival organizers didn't immediately respond when asked for comment.
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10:30 a.m.
A man rescued from the flames at the Burning Man festival's signature burning of a towering effigy has been airlifted to a hospital.
Burning Man organizers say the counter-culture festival attendee broke through safety perimeters about 10:30 p.m. Saturday and ran into the blaze.
Black Rock City firefighters rescued the man and treated him at the scene before he was airlifted to a burn treatment center.
More than 70,000 people are enjoying the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Reno.
The nine-day festival in northern Nevada was briefly hampered when a lightning-sparked wildfire temporarily shut down Burning Man's main travel route last week.
The 138-square-mile (359-square-kilometer) wildfire is now 28 percent contained.
Burning Man ends Monday.
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