[Update 3/9/17 2:36pm PST] The man has been named as (Aaron) Joel Mitchell, 41
In a scene reminiscent of 2014’s tragic suicide at the Element11 regional in Utah, a man has run straight into the fire after the main event of Burning Man.
From the Las Vegas Review Journal:
About 10:30 p.m. Saturday, the man broke through safety perimeters at the Northern Nevada festival and ran straight into a fire, Burning Man officials said in a statement. Black Rock City firefighters entered the flames to rescue the festival-goer.
The man was treated on the scene before being transported to an on-site medical facility, officials said. He was later airlifted to a burn treatment center…
The man’s condition as of Sunday morning was unknown.
[Source]
Here’s the official statement from BMorg:
At approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday evening, a male participant at the annual Burning Man event in Northern Nevada broke through a safety perimeter and ran into a fire. Black Rock City fire personnel rescued him from the fire.
The individual was treated on scene, transported to the on-site medical facility and airlifted to a burn treatment center.
We will share more information as it becomes available.
There has now been confirmation that the man is dead, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. In 2005, a man intentionally ran into the fire and survived. He went on to try to sue Burning Man for his stupidity, unsuccessfully.
As well as the 2014 Utah fire death, there were deaths by drowning at Regional events at Transformus 2015 (North Carolina) and Lakes of Fire 2016 (Michigan).
One of the Honorarium art installations this year was “The Pyramid of the Dead” dedicated to celebrating death: “Death is a part of life as much as life is a part of Death, and we invite you to celebrate this relationship with us”
A couple of days ago RT ran a story “Beware of Fire: Deaths at Burning Man”. There seem to be far more deaths at this event than any other festival, including much larger ones. Of course, it’s just a coincidence that it’s an occult ritual burning a wooden effigy inside a pentagram celebrating death and rebirth, surrounded by Pyramids and Temples for the Dead, lit from a fire kept burning in a magic soul-cooking cauldron called El Diabla. There are many other large scale public occult rituals that go on without such deaths…oh wait. Sorry, my mistake. There are no other such rituals.
[Images: Reuters, via YourEDM]
[Update 3/9/17 5:44pm PST]
Some links to counseling information from BMorg. Many Burners are seriously traumatized about witnessing such an horrific event during the peak moment of the party:
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”.
[Source]
Some eyewitness accounts have shown up already on social media:
Source: Official Burning Man Facebook Page
The official Burning Man Facebook group is censoring reports and photos of the tragedy:
There were originally comments on the BMorg official posting, these have been disabled too.
More as it comes in. BMorg said the Temple burn will continue as scheduled tonight…the show must go on.
[Update 9/3/17 6:23pm PST]
The Reno Gazette-Journal has more information about Joel Mitchell:
Update 4:45 p.m. Sunday: The mother of Aaron Joel Mitchell confirmed that her son was the man who died after running into flames at Burning Man on Saturday night…
Joel grew up in McAlester, Oklahoma but was living in Switzerland.
“He’s 41, but they are always your baby,” said Johnnye Mitchell. “He was loving and a nice person…Joel liked hiking and outdoors, running.”
Mitchell said she saw her son on Aug. 1 before he headed to Oregon to go to an Eclipse festival. She knew he was planning to go to Burning Man with friends and it was his first time to the annual festival.
She said he is married but does not have any children. His wife is from Switzerland. He was working in construction.
“He was in great spirits when we saw him…We are just in shock, total shock,” she said. “We can’t believe this happened.”
…The Burning Man organization canceled scheduled burns through noon Sunday but will proceed with the scheduled Temple burn at 8 p.m.
[Source]
[Update 9/3/17 7:44pm PST]
The RGJ has some further details from the Sheriff:
The Pershing County Sheriff said Sunday night that the initial rescue efforts were hampered due to a portion of “the Man” falling at the time rescuers were attempting to retrieve Mitchell from the debris.
“Rescuers had to leave him to allow the structure to fall and provide for rescuer safety before they could go back into the flames to extract Aaron from the debris,”…
It remains unclear whether Mitchell was trying to run into the fire or tripped and fell into it while trying to avoid security staff…
One safety ranger who witnessed the incident teared up as she told her campmates early Sunday morning how she tried but failed to stop the man.
Rangers who work the event are told in advance to look out for three kinds of people likely to rush toward the fire: people trying to get attention, people who are on drugs or intoxicated and don’t understand the danger, and the suicidal.
Photo: Reno Gazette Journal
[Source: Reno Gazette Journal]
Joel was airlifted to the UC Davis Medical Center specialist burn unit, where he was pronounced dead
Some of the MSM coverage of the tragedy:
Front and center on the Drudge Report
YouTube videos are starting to be made.
Filed under: News Tagged: accident, breaking, burns, Death, news, suicide, tragedy
