The line between life and death is fragile, and one that should never be traversed at music festivals. Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for this line to be crossed at modern-day events.
Such was the case at the 38th iteration of Burning Man this past week, which saw major incidents unfold, including an unexpected childbirth, massive storms, an electrocution, and even a potential homicide.
While we don’t enjoy reporting tragedies that occur in our scene, our main priority is making sure you know what’s going on – whether it’s positive or negative. As you make your way through the following stories, we hope you keep the victims, their families, and the delicate fragility of life in your hearts.
These are developing stories and will be updated accordingly.
Day 1 – Dust Storms at Doors
On Sunday, August 24th, Burning Man opened its gates with scorching temperatures and 50-MPH winds wreaking havoc across Black Rock City.
Aside from the destruction of the beloved Orgy Dome and several other installations, the weather led to massive traffic backups, with some burners waiting over eight hours to get onto the grounds.
On the third day of the festival, Tuesday, August 26, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and high winds returned to The Playa, forcing organizers to close the entrance to the festival. These wet conditions are what ultimately led to the first major incident of Burning Man 2025 – an electrocuted guest.
Day 3 – Burner Gets Electrocuted
In an environment like Burning Man, severe weather conditions become exponentially hazardous, making additional precautions even more necessary.
Despite all the preparation attendees might take and all the infrastructure a festival might have, accidents still happen. Such was the case when an attendee stepped into a puddle and was reportedly electrocuted on Tuesday afternoon. While the unnamed man was promptly airlifted to a nearby hospital, no updates have been given on his current condition.
Burning Man later released the following statement –
“Keep all cables, plugs, and generators dry and covered. Elevate connections and seal them with electrical tape. Never run a generator or powered gear sitting in water.”
Day 4 – Baby’s First Burning Man
The night after this terrible accident, Black Rock City experienced a miracle.
On Wednesday night, August 27th, Kayla and Kacey Thompson of Salt Lake City were happily asleep in their RV when Kayla began to experience a lot of “pain.” A few moments later, in the bathroom, Kayla gave birth to a 3-pound, 9-ounce baby girl that she had no idea was growing inside her over the past several months.
Immediately, the father, Kasey, ran outside into the flooded terrain of Black Rock City and began calling for “anyone to come help us.” He was soon met with a neonatal care nurse, a pediatric doctor, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and a crowd of burners offering help in any way they could.
While this was truly a beautiful moment that showed the power of Burning Man’s community, it was also a frightening one, as the mother and baby still needed to get properly assessed and taken care of in a professional setting. After medical personnel brought them to the Burning Man emergency care facility, the Thompson parents were told that there was only room for the baby to be airlifted to the hospital.
Kayla and Kacey Thompson
Kasey Thompson later told The New York Times that he was met with “the hardest decision of [his] life” when he had to decide whether to ensure his baby safely boarded the helicopter or accompany his wife to the hospital.
Ultimately, the couple left together by car as their baby departed in a helicopter to a hospital in Reno. Upon arrival, Kayla received treatment while Kasey was escorted to the neonatal intensive care unit, where he was “thrilled” to find his baby girl “safe and sound.”
Kayla Thompson later remarked that she didn’t have any symptoms, and even nurses at the hospital told her she didn’t look pregnant. The couple was discharged from the hospital the following day and stayed in a nearby hotel as their newborn gained her strength in the NICU.
There is currently a GoFundMe to help cover medical, lodging, and travel expenses to help the Thompsons navigate the situation and hopefully transfer their baby girl, who they’ve named Aurora, to Salt Lake City.
Burning Man later released the following statement –
“Burning Man Project would like to extend congratulations and well-wishes to the family. In the midst of wind, heat, and storms, they brought new life into the world in Black Rock City. Of all the things we celebrate at Burning Man, bringing life, connection, transformation, and joy are dearest to our hearts.”
Day 7 – Victim Found in “Pool of Blood”
While the weather had cleared up by the weekend, the festival still ended up getting shrouded by one of the most jarring and frightening events in Burning Man history – a potential homicide.
This past Saturday night (8/30), around 9:14 PM local time, right as the “Man” began to burn, a Pershing County Sheriff’s Office deputy was notified of an individual lying in “a pool of blood.” Deputies and rangers alike responded to the scene and found one adult male “obviously deceased.”
The unidentified victim’s body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s office, and an investigation into a “possible homicide” commenced. Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen later released the following statement via press release:
“Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances. There is no further information available at this time but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, while still preserving the integrity of the complicated investigation of a crime in a city which will be gone by the middle of the week.”
What Now?
While there were several beautiful moments that took place at Burning Man this past week, it’s hard to celebrate them.
Although fans often joke about “surviving” at festivals, no one should ever go into these experiences actually contemplating whether they will make it out alive. Or in the case of the Thompsons, with a baby.
While the wounds of this past week are still very fresh, and young Aurora continues to gather her strength in the NICU, we hope attendees and organizers alike take the necessary steps to prevent incidents like these from occurring again.
The line between life and death is fragile, and one that should never be traversed at music festivals. Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for this line to be crossed at modern-day events.
Such was the case at the 38th iteration of Burning Man this past week, which saw major incidents unfold, including an unexpected childbirth, massive storms, an electrocution, and even a potential homicide.
While we don’t enjoy reporting tragedies that occur in our scene, our main priority is making sure you know what’s going on – whether it’s positive or negative. As you make your way through the following stories, we hope you keep the victims, their families, and the delicate fragility of life in your hearts.
These are developing stories and will be updated accordingly.
Day 1 – Dust Storms at Doors
On Sunday, August 24th, Burning Man opened its gates with scorching temperatures and 50-MPH winds wreaking havoc across Black Rock City.
Aside from the destruction of the beloved Orgy Dome and several other installations, the weather led to massive traffic backups, with some burners waiting over eight hours to get onto the grounds.
On the third day of the festival, Tuesday, August 26, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and high winds returned to The Playa, forcing organizers to close the entrance to the festival. These wet conditions are what ultimately led to the first major incident of Burning Man 2025 – an electrocuted guest.
Day 3 – Burner Gets Electrocuted
In an environment like Burning Man, severe weather conditions become exponentially hazardous, making additional precautions even more necessary.
Despite all the preparation attendees might take and all the infrastructure a festival might have, accidents still happen. Such was the case when an attendee stepped into a puddle and was reportedly electrocuted on Tuesday afternoon. While the unnamed man was promptly airlifted to a nearby hospital, no updates have been given on his current condition.
Burning Man later released the following statement –
“Keep all cables, plugs, and generators dry and covered. Elevate connections and seal them with electrical tape. Never run a generator or powered gear sitting in water.”
Day 4 – Baby’s First Burning Man
The night after this terrible accident, Black Rock City experienced a miracle.
On Wednesday night, August 27th, Kayla and Kacey Thompson of Salt Lake City were happily asleep in their RV when Kayla began to experience a lot of “pain.” A few moments later, in the bathroom, Kayla gave birth to a 3-pound, 9-ounce baby girl that she had no idea was growing inside her over the past several months.
Immediately, the father, Kasey, ran outside into the flooded terrain of Black Rock City and began calling for “anyone to come help us.” He was soon met with a neonatal care nurse, a pediatric doctor, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and a crowd of burners offering help in any way they could.
While this was truly a beautiful moment that showed the power of Burning Man’s community, it was also a frightening one, as the mother and baby still needed to get properly assessed and taken care of in a professional setting. After medical personnel brought them to the Burning Man emergency care facility, the Thompson parents were told that there was only room for the baby to be airlifted to the hospital.
Kasey Thompson later told The New York Times that he was met with “the hardest decision of [his] life” when he had to decide whether to ensure his baby safely boarded the helicopter or accompany his wife to the hospital.
Ultimately, the couple left together by car as their baby departed in a helicopter to a hospital in Reno. Upon arrival, Kayla received treatment while Kasey was escorted to the neonatal intensive care unit, where he was “thrilled” to find his baby girl “safe and sound.”
Kayla Thompson later remarked that she didn’t have any symptoms, and even nurses at the hospital told her she didn’t look pregnant. The couple was discharged from the hospital the following day and stayed in a nearby hotel as their newborn gained her strength in the NICU.
There is currently a GoFundMe to help cover medical, lodging, and travel expenses to help the Thompsons navigate the situation and hopefully transfer their baby girl, who they’ve named Aurora, to Salt Lake City.
Burning Man later released the following statement –
“Burning Man Project would like to extend congratulations and well-wishes to the family. In the midst of wind, heat, and storms, they brought new life into the world in Black Rock City. Of all the things we celebrate at Burning Man, bringing life, connection, transformation, and joy are dearest to our hearts.”
Day 7 – Victim Found in “Pool of Blood”
While the weather had cleared up by the weekend, the festival still ended up getting shrouded by one of the most jarring and frightening events in Burning Man history – a potential homicide.
This past Saturday night (8/30), around 9:14 PM local time, right as the “Man” began to burn, a Pershing County Sheriff’s Office deputy was notified of an individual lying in “a pool of blood.” Deputies and rangers alike responded to the scene and found one adult male “obviously deceased.”
The unidentified victim’s body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s office, and an investigation into a “possible homicide” commenced. Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen later released the following statement via press release:
“Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances. There is no further information available at this time but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, while still preserving the integrity of the complicated investigation of a crime in a city which will be gone by the middle of the week.”
What Now?
While there were several beautiful moments that took place at Burning Man this past week, it’s hard to celebrate them.
Although fans often joke about “surviving” at festivals, no one should ever go into these experiences actually contemplating whether they will make it out alive. Or in the case of the Thompsons, with a baby.
While the wounds of this past week are still very fresh, and young Aurora continues to gather her strength in the NICU, we hope attendees and organizers alike take the necessary steps to prevent incidents like these from occurring again.
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