Authorities have reported the passing of a third individual at the Burning Man festival, following the deaths of two other attendees during the annual gathering in the Nevada desert. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office disclosed that Armando Ramirez from Truckee, Calif., passed away while en route to a hospital in Reno, Nev., approximately 190 kilometers south of the festival. The 51-year-old was declared deceased in the ambulance during the early hours of Friday. The cause and manner of death are awaiting further test results, with no suspicion of foul play, according to the examiner’s office.
The festival, known for its focus on art installations and self-expression during its week-long duration in the desert, confirmed the two previously reported deaths. Craigh Mann, 60, was discovered deceased on Saturday around 3 p.m. local time, as stated by the festival. The sheriff’s office, identifying him as Craig Mann, stated that he was found in a trailer he shared with his significant other. Another festival-goer in his mid-50s, identified as Sampson Tshombe, suffered a medical emergency and was pronounced dead after receiving immediate medical attention, according to festival organizers. Tshombe passed away at the festival’s temporary medical facility on Thursday.
Authorities have indicated no signs of foul play in the deaths of Mann and Tshombe. However, both individuals will undergo autopsy and toxicology screenings, with results expected in six to eight weeks. The 40th anniversary of the festival commenced on Aug. 30 and concluded on Monday, attracting tens of thousands of participants who camp in the desert and engage in innovative performances, culminating in the burning of a large wooden sculpture resembling a man.
While the festival has experienced fatalities in the past, with over half a dozen reported since its relocation to the Black Rock desert in 1990, Pershing County sheriff and coroner Jerry Allen mentioned in a statement that the festival averages one death annually, according to NBC News.