Woman Killed by Bus at Burning Man
A woman was killed at the Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert after falling under a moving bus just after midnight on August 27th. According to USA Today, the bus was transporting passengers around the festival when the accident occurred. The woman, whose name was not yet released, was pronounced dead at the scene. While vehicles are banned from festival grounds, the bus was part of the Burning Man transportation system and was required to travel no faster than 5 miles per hour. It’s unclear whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the woman’s death.
“This is a terrible accident,” Burning Man co-founder Marian Goodell said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and campmates. Black Rock Rangers and Emergency Services Department staff are providing support to those affected.” This marks the first death on the festival grounds since a festivalgoer fell under a trailer seven years ago, USA Today reports.
It’s been a rough start for Burning Man 2014: As Rolling Stone reported earlier this week, the opening day ceremonies were canceled after rainstorms swept through the festival area on Tuesday, making the roads leading to the grounds “un-drivable.” Organizers hoped that the area would dry out by midday Tuesday. “Weather on the playa is often violent and unpredictable. Dust storms, high winds, freezing temperatures, rain – Burning Man has seen each of these at various times,” the Burning Man website warns. It’s unclear whether any residual damage from the rainstorms played a role in this accident.