Third Burning Man festivalgoer dies, officials say

A Burning Man attendee died while being taken to a hospital, officials said Monday, the third reported death of a festivalgoer in less than a week.

The person was en route to a hospital in Reno, roughly 120 miles south of Black Rock City, Nevada, where the festival takes place, when they died, the Pershing County Sheriff's Office said.

"Although we average 1 death a year at the Festival, we have had two so far this year within the confines of the Festival and I have received information regarding a third who died in transit to a hospital in Reno," Jerry Allen, Pershing County sheriff and coroner, said in a statement Monday.

Allen said the death occurred in Washoe County jurisdiction. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The festival said Saturday that a second attendee, Craig Mann, 60, was found dead in his camp in Black Rock City at 3 p.m. No cause of death was disclosed.

"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the participant's family, friends, campmates, and all those affected by this loss," the festival said in a statement.

When deputies responded, Mann was found dead in his trailer, which he was sharing with his partner, Allen said in a news release Monday.

A preliminary investigation did not indicate signs of foul play, Allen said.

It was the second death reported at the annual psychedelic, music and art festival in the Nevada desert, which draws a crowd of about 70,000.

The festival said last week that a man in his mid-50s died after a medical emergency.

Deputies found Sampson Tshombe dead after responding to the temporary hospital located at the festival on Thursday, Allen said.

He "immediately received lifesaving measures, and was transported to the onsite center for emergency care where he was pronounced deceased," the festival said.

Allen said the sheriff's office's investigation revealed Tshombe had "been found on a street within the Festival and emergency personnel had performed CPR on him for several minutes, until a certified doctor pronounced Sampson deceased."

As with Mann, officials ruled out signs of foul play in the Tshombe's death.

The Washoe County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct autopsies and toxicology screenings for both festivalgoers, with results expected in six to eight weeks, Allen said.

The festival started Aug. 30 and is scheduled through Monday.