Officials have provided further details about the death of a 32-year-old man at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. Leon Reece was found unresponsive during heavy rain and mud at the festival, causing delays in providing help. The cause of death is still unknown, and an investigation is underway. Kelly Weill reported
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32-Year-Old Man Fatally Found Unresponsive at Burning Man Festival
Officials have released new details regarding the tragic death of a festivalgoer at the renowned Burning Man festival held in Nevada. The fatality has been confirmed as a 32-year-old man named Leon Reece, who passed away on September 1.
Reece was discovered unresponsive on Friday evening around 6:24 p.m. during heavy rains that unexpectedly hit the festival. As a result of the downpour, the Nevada desert turned into a muddy terrain, trapping participants for several days. The exact cause of Reece’s death is yet to be determined, according to investigators.
Initial reports suggested that Reece’s death was unrelated to the inclement weather over the weekend. However, Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen stated on Monday night that the stormy conditions delayed the arrival of help to the festival grounds.
“Pershing County dispatch received a call regarding a male subject who was on the ground and unresponsive at the Burning Man Festival, and medical personnel were administering CPR to the male,” Allen said.
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“Due to the unusual rain event happening on the Playa, access to the area and investigative efforts were delayed. Upon the arrival of Pershing County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, the doctor at the Festival had already pronounced the male subject, later identified as Leon Reece, a 32-year-old male, deceased.”
Although deputies interviewed witnesses and medical responders, they were unable to immediately determine the cause of Reece’s death. An investigation is currently underway, alongside a toxicology report.
Annual Festival Faces Unforeseen Challenges
The Burning Man festival, held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, attracts over 70,000 attendees each year. Traditionally, festival-goers are warned about the risks of dehydration in the remote desert setting. However, this year’s event took a terrifying turn when heavy rains turned the temporary city into a treacherous mud pit, leaving most participants stranded until Monday, when festival organizers finally declared it safe to leave the campsite.
While stuck, attendees were advised to ration their food and water supplies. Unverified reports of deaths at the festival circulated widely on social media, contributing to a sense of unease among those stranded. One Burning Man attendee, in a now-viral video after the flood, mentioned that “a couple of people didn’t make it.” However, it is important to note that only one death has been officially reported. These rumors were further amplified by a hoax about an Ebola outbreak among the stranded partiers.
On Monday, Sheriff Allen dispelled these rumors, emphasizing that there is no validity to any reports regarding an Ebola outbreak or any other disease. However, doctors had previously cautioned Burning Man attendees about potential health risks while stranded on the flooded plain. Stagnant water, port-a-potties, and cold weather could increase the likelihood of hypothermia, food-borne illnesses, and even Covid-19 transmission, as previously reported by Insider. The longer campers remained trapped at the festival, the higher these risks became.
Conclusion
As of Monday night, Burning Man attendees were finally allowed to leave the site, resulting in a mass exodus. In collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and the Burning Man Project, Sheriff Allen assured the public that there is no evidence to support claims of any disease outbreaks, including Ebola.
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