The Pershing County Sheriff's Office has identified the man who died after running into the flames at the Burning Man festival's signature burning ceremony.
Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen says 41-year-old Aaron Joel Mitchell ran through a human-chain of security officers at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday during the Man Burn event at the counter-culture festival.
Mitchell is a citizen of the United States with a residence in Oklahoma, but was currently living in Switzerland with his wife.
The sheriff says Mitchell was rescued by firefighters and later died at the UC Davis hospital burn center in California. He died just before 6:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Authorities say Mitchell was not under the influence of alcohol, and a toxicology screening is pending. His family was notified of his death.
Burning Man is working with local and federal law enforcement agencies, and an investigation is currently ongoing.
The organization says it's aware that the incident not only affected first responders but witnesses as well.
If you are not on playa and are feeling the need to talk to someone, don’t wait. You can reach 24/7 crisis and suicide hotlines at 1-800-273-8255 or 775-784-8090. You can also text LISTEN to 839863.
About 70,000 people are attending the art and music celebration in the Black Rock Desert, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Reno.
The nine-day event culminates with the burning of a towering 40-foot effigy made of wood. Attendees have tried to run into the flames as a symbol of rebirth.
The festival was briefly hampered when a lightning-sparked wildfire temporarily shut down Burning Man's main travel route last week.
The 138-square-mile (359-square-kilometer) wildfire is now 28% contained.
Burning Man ends Monday.
(The Associated Press, Burning Man contributed to this report.)
