Death Of Female Burning Man Attendee On Day 1 Of Festival Is Being Investigated

A female Burning Man attendee died Sunday, the first day of the annual Nevada festival, according to a Burning Man Project press release.

After receiving a report about an unresponsive individual at 11:29 a.m., emergency services responded and unsuccessfully attempted to perform “life-saving measures” on the woman, according to the release.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said it received a notification at 11:37 a.m. about the woman, multiple news outlets reported.

“Deputies responded to the address provided and confirmed the death of a female participant,” the sheriff said in a statement, adding that the woman’s death is under investigation. Neither the sheriff’s office nor Burning Man organizers have publicly released the woman’s name.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss. The participant has been identified by the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office,” said the Burning Man press release.

“The safety and well-being of our staff and community are paramount,” the release continued. “We are cooperating fully with local authorities as they investigate this incident. The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office investigates all deaths that occur in its jurisdiction. Out of respect for the privacy of the grieving family, we will not be providing further details at this time.”

The festival, which is scheduled to end on Sept. 2, was marred by poor weather that caused a 12-hour delayed start on Sunday.

Last year, a rainstorm that transformed the desert into a muddy nightmare left 70,000 people stranded in the festival’s makeshift town, Black Rock City. One person died during last year’s festival.