Burning Man Confirms Death of Participant on First Day; Details Remain Scant
Photo Credit: Burning Man
Burning Man confirms the death of a female attendee on the festival’s first day, mirroring a death at last year’s edition.
A woman has died on the first day of the 2024 Burning Man Festival in the Back Rock Desert in Nevada on August 25, the festival has confirmed. This year’s event kicked off on the morning of August 25, with the attendee found unresponsive at 11:29 AM the same day. Burning Man emergency services tended to her and allegedly attempted to save her life, but were unable to revive her.
“It is with heavy hearts that Burning Man Project confirms the death of a participant in Black Rock City in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert,” begins the statement on the festival’s website. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss. The participant has been identified by the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office.” Black Rock City is the name given to the temporary home base for Burning Man festival attendees.
“The safety and well-being of our staff and community are paramount,” the statement continues. “We are cooperating fully with local authorities as they investigate this incident. The Pershing County Sheriff’s office investigates all deaths that occur in its jurisdiction. Out of respect for the privacy of the grieving family, we will not be providing further details at this time.”
So far, no cause of death has been revealed as the incident remains under investigation. The woman has since been identified as 39-year-old Kendra Frazer. Depressingly, the incident seems to mirror those in years past.
Last year, Burning Man reported the death of 32-year-old attendee Leon Reece. Reece passed away after being found unresponsive on the festival grounds.
In 2022, 68-year-old Tennessee Judge John Everett Williams died, from what was determined to be natural causes while attending Burning Man. In 2018, 41-year-old Joel Mitchell died after running into the Burning Man structure fire on the Saturday of the week-long event.
This year’s Burning Man Festival runs through September 2, with attendance expected to reach 70,000.
