Sheriff’s office names man who died at Burning Man festival amid flooding chaos

Investigation underway into death of 32-year-old Leon Reece

Authorities on Monday revealed the identity of the man who died at the Burning Man festival as thousands of attendees began their exodus from the northern Nevada desert following heavy rains.

The Pershing County sheriff's office identified the man as 32-year-old Leon Reece.

Authorities received a call around 6.24pm (local time) on Friday about an unresponsive man on the ground at the ephemeral Black Rock City, sheriff Jerry Allen.

The man was being administered CPR by medical personnel at the festival as flooding on the playa due to heavy rains delayed the arrival of deputies.

By the time the deputies arrived, Reece was pronounced dead by the festival doctor, Sheriff Allen told the San Francisco Chronicle.

The officials performed a preliminary investigation in the playa, around the area where the man was found unconscious, and interviewed witnesses. However, no immediate cause of death was determined, the sheriff said, adding that authorities were still investigating the cause of death.

Reece's body was transported to Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and his toxicology results were pending.

Following Reece's death, the organisers had asked the "burners" to conserve food, water, fuel and shelter in a "warm safe space".

A rainbow over flooding on a desert plain (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden told reporters in Delaware on Sunday that he was aware of the situation at Burning Man, including the death, and the White House was in touch with local authorities.

The gates were shut after a large downpour turned the arid desert floor into thick mud, making it difficult for over 70,000 festivalgoers to even manoeuvre through.

The Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where the festival was held, experienced around two to three months’ worth of rain, up to 0.8 inches in just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning.

Vehicles are seen departing the Burning Man festival in Black Rock City, Nevada (REUTERS)

Some attendees braved a several-miles-long walk to the nearest town or catch a ride there.

The roads were opened Monday, allowing the traffic to flow out around 2pm (local time), even as the organisers continued urging attendees to delay their exit to help ease traffic.

According to a social media account associated with the festival, the wait time to exit Burning Man was eight hours, with hundreds of vehicles standing in a queue on the main road. It said the last Burner Express to Reno would depart at 10am (local time) on Tuesday.

The annual penultimate event of burning “The Man" – a giant wooden manlike figure – took place on Monday night after the weather deterred organisers from setting it ablaze on Sunday as had been planned.

"The Man" burned for more than an hour surrounded by a breathtaking display of fireworks.

The final event of setting the temple on fire is scheduled to be held at 8pm on Tuesday.