Man dead after running into fire at Burning Man

A 41-year-old man has died after deliberately running into a
massive fire at the annual Burning Man festival in Black Rock
Desert, Nevada. ‘

Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen told media Aaron Joel
Mitchell broke through a human chain security cordon and ran
directly into the blaze at around 10.30pm local time, as other
festival attendees watched on.

“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,” Allen
said.

‘”Doctors confirmed Mitchell wasn’t under the influence of
alcohol but that a toxicology report is pending as part of the
investigation,” Fox9
News says.

Mitchell was eventually pulled out by firefighters, who were
forced to abandon early efforts to reach him as parts of the
burning effigy began to fall around them.

The man was airlifted from the scene to the UC Davis hospital
burn centre in California, where he later died from his
injuries.

Around 70,000 people are attending music and arts festival,
“which culminates with the burning of a towering 40ft-effigy made
of wood. Attendees have tried to run into the flames as a symbol of
rebirth,” The Guardian says.

“We’re aware this incident has affected not only those who
responded immediately on the scene, but also those who witnessed
it, and our Black Rock City community more broadly,” organisers
said in a statement, adding: “We are working to make resources
available to those affected.”