Man, 60, becomes second person to die at Burning Man festival

Man, 60, becomes second person to die at Burning Man festival Burning Man draws tens of thousands of visitors each year to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A second Burning Man attendee was found dead at his camp, one day after another man died at the Nevada festival. Craigh Mann, 60, was found dead by campmates Saturday afternoon at the annual nine-day event in Black Rock City, Nevada, festival organizers said. No other details, including a cause of death, were released. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the participant’s family, friends, campmates, and all those affected by this loss,” event organizers wrote. Two days earlier another Burning Man attendee, a man in his mid-50s, died after suffering a “medical emergency” during the festival. The man immediately received life-saving measures and was rushed to an on-site medical center, where he was pronounced dead. His name and cause of death have not been released by organizers. Officials say they will release his name once his family is notified of his death. Pershing County Sheriff Coroner Jerry Allen told The San Francisco Chronicle that deputies received a report Thursday about a man found unresponsive on one of the festival’s streets. Officials said there did not appear to be foul play in the death. The man’s cause of death was pending a report from the medical examiner. Burning Man draws tens of thousands of visitors each year to the Black Rock Desert for a week celebrating self-expression, art and music. The festival has its own on-site healthcare operations to treat attendees, which includes an emergency room that treated 1,450 patients in 2025. Last year the only death that occurred at Burning Man was a homicide — the first in the event’s history. During the festival, a Pershing County deputy was flagged down by an attendee who found a man lying in a pool of blood. Authorities said Vadim Kruglov, 37, of Russia, was discovered fatally stabbed in the neck inside a tent on August 30, 2025, just as participants were preparing for the annual burning of the “Man.” This year’s festival also comes as co-founder John Law accused Burning Man of losing its “anarchist soul” and becoming a playground for wealthy elites, with some attendees now staying in luxury camps with their own private chefs. “It’s become a commercialized escape hatch — a week when anyone with enough money can leave their real life behind entirely,” he said. This year’s event, its 40th at Black Rock Desert, began August 30 and will conclude Monday, following Sunday’s planned temple burn. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments