A third attendee of the Burning Man festival in Nevada has died while being transported to a hospital, authorities confirmed on Monday, bringing the total deaths at this year’s event to three as it drew to a close.
Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen stated that his office received information about the death, which occurred outside his jurisdiction. The individual was transported from the festival to a Reno-area hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Allen did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the death, citing jurisdictional limitations. Questions were referred to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office, both of which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The first death was reported on Thursday, September 3, when a man in his mid-50s, identified as Sampson Tshombe, was found unresponsive on a street inside the festival. Emergency personnel performed CPR for several minutes before an on-site doctor pronounced him dead at Rampart, the festival’s temporary hospital. Investigators found no outward signs of foul play, and Tshombe’s body was sent to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and toxicology screening due to the lack of available medical history.
On Saturday, September 5, a second attendee, Craig Mann, 60, was found deceased in his camp at the festival. Mann was discovered in a trailer he shared with his significant other, and authorities reported no outward signs of foul play. His body was also sent to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination.
Sheriff Allen noted that the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office typically records about one death per year at the festival. Autopsy and toxicology results for the two deaths inside the festival are expected in approximately six to eight weeks, pending further investigation. The third death, occurring during transport, falls under the jurisdiction of Washoe County, where additional details are pending.
The festival, held annually in the Nevada desert, concluded this year amid reports of challenging weather conditions, including rain that delayed entry for some attendees. Organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incidents.
Authorities emphasized that no signs of foul play have been identified in any of the three cases. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.