Burning Man Death: Aaron Joel Mitchell Killed After Diving Into Fire

He sustained fatal burns on Saturday night.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

A man who died after running into a fire at the Burning Man festival has been identified.

Aaron Joel Mitchell rushed past a two-layer security perimeter and into a massive fire at the Nevada festival’s signature ceremony, suffering fatal burns on Saturday night.

The 41-year-old was a US citizen but was living with his wife in Switzerland at the time, Nevada’s Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen said.

Allen said there was a crowd of about 50,000 people present when a crew of firefighters pulled Mitchell out of the blaze.

He was airlifted to the UC Davis hospital burn center in California, where he died on Sunday morning. The sheriff said doctors confirmed Mitchell wasn’t under the influence of alcohol, but a toxicology report is pending.

“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.

Mitchell’s mother Johnnye Mitchell last saw her son one month ago and told the Reno Gazette-Journal it was his first Burning Man. She said: “He was in great spirits when we saw him.”

Mitchell died after dodging security and running into the flames on Saturday night
Mitchell died after dodging security and running into the flames on Saturday night
Jim Bourg / Reuters

Burning Man said in a statement that they had cancelled burns from noon on Sunday but would go ahead with the 8pm temple burn, another signature event that signals the end of the nine-day festival. More than 70,000 people are attending the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles north of Reno.

Organisers are also offering emotional support counselling on site, saying in a statement: “Now is a time for closeness, contact and community. Trauma needs processing. Promote calls, hugs, self-care, check-ins, and sleep.”

The festival culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood, a symbol of rebirth, which usually happens the Saturday before the Labor Day holiday. It’s followed by the burning of a temple on Sunday before the festivities wrap up Monday.

Attempts to rescue Mitchell were hampered because part of the structure was falling while they were trying to get Mitchell out of it, the sheriff’s office said.

The rescue attempt was hampered by part of the structure falling as they tried to get him out of it
The rescue attempt was hampered by part of the structure falling as they tried to get him out of it
Jim Bourg / Reuters

“Rescuers had to leave him to allow the structure to fall and provide for rescuer safety before they could go back into the flames to extract Aaron from the debris,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Attendees have tried before to run into the flames while the man is burning and there have been reported injuries from people trying to get a piece of the spectacle as a token and going through the hot coals. Allen said it’s a problem that the organisers have tried to contain by having their own rangers stage a human-chain to prevent people from getting to the fire. Allen said that this is the first time someone has gotten through like this and the only fatality that he’s aware of in his 15 years with the county.

The festival culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood, a symbol of rebirth - pictured here in 2011
The festival culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood, a symbol of rebirth - pictured here in 2011
Jim Bourg / Reuters

“People try to run into the fire as part of their spiritual portion of Burning Man,” Allen said. “The significance of the man burning, it’s just kind of a rebirth, they burn the man to the ground, a new chapter has started. It’s part of their tenets of radical self-expression.”

Known for eclectic artwork, offbeat theme camps, concerts and other entertainment, Burning Man began in San Francisco before moving to Nevada in 1990. Over the years as the event grew in popularity, deaths and crime have been reported, ranging from car crashes to drug use.

In 2014, a man in Utah died by jumping into a huge ceremonial bonfire in an event that was similar to Burning Man. It was investigated as a suicide.

Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.

Get Connected is a free advice service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@getconnected.org.uk

HopeLine runs a confidential advice helpline if you are a young person at risk of suicide or are worried about a young person at risk of suicide. Mon-Fri 10-5pm and 7pm-10pm. Weekends 2pm-5pm on 0800 068 41 41.

Maytree is a sanctuary for the suicidal in north London in a non-medical setting. For help or to enquire about a stay, call 020 7263 7070.

Close

What's Hot