A man has tragically died from burns after running through the massive fire at Burning Man festival’s signature ceremony.
Images VIA
Authorities are now investigating the death f 41-year-old Aaron Joel Mitchell after he somehow managed to break through a two-layer security perimeter to get to the wooden effigy that was set on fire.
There were around 50,000 people present for the giant fire when the festival’s crew of firefighters pulled Mitchell out from the blaze. However, he sadly died on Sunday morning after being rushed to the UC Davis hospital burn centre in California.
Now police are trying to get to the bottom of why he did it – although Mitchell was not drunk, a toxicology report is pending. Nevada’s Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said:
We don’t know if it was intentional on his part or if it was just kind of induced by drugs. We’re not sure of that yet.
It’s such a tragic incident for a festival that is supposed to be a celebration of music and art. Every year the event in Black Rock Desert includes the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood as a symbol of rebirth. This happens on the Saturday and then the Sunday follows this up with the burning of a temple.
Although this was meant to represent rebirth, sadly it has ended in death. RIP to Aaron Joel Mitchell and hopefully the investigation gets to the bottom of how he got past security so that incidents like this can be avoided in the future.
To watch a GoPro camera fall off a drone and into the heart of a party at Burning Man, click HERE.
