Authorities have confirmed the passing of a third individual at the Burning Man festival, following the recent announcement of two other fatalities during the event in the Nevada desert. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office disclosed that Armando Ramirez from Truckee, Calif., lost his life while being transported to a hospital in Reno, Nev., approximately 190 kilometers away from the festival. The 51-year-old was declared deceased in the ambulance during the early hours of Friday. The cause and circumstances of death are awaiting further test results, with no suspicions of foul play.
The festival, known for its focus on art installations and self-expression over a week in the desert, also reported two additional deaths that were confirmed by the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office. Craigh Mann, 60, was discovered deceased on Saturday around 3 p.m. local time, according to festival statements. The sheriff’s office identified him as Craig Mann and mentioned that he was found in a trailer he shared with his partner. Another festival attendee, a man in his mid-50s, passed away after a medical emergency and emergency treatment. The sheriff’s office named him Sampson Tshombe and stated that he died at the festival’s makeshift hospital on Thursday.
Authorities stated that no foul play was suspected in the deaths of Mann and Tshombe, with plans for autopsies and toxicology screenings to provide more insights in the following weeks. This year commemorates the festival’s 40th anniversary, commencing on August 30 and concluding on Monday. Each year, tens of thousands of individuals gather in the desert to camp and engage in unconventional performances, culminating in the burning of a large wooden man sculpture.
While the festival has a history of fatalities, with over half a dozen deaths reported since its relocation to the Black Rock desert in 1990, officials emphasize that the event averages one fatality annually. Jerry Allen, the Pershing County sheriff and coroner, highlighted this statistic in a recent statement.
