Man found dead at Burning Man as festival effigy burns

Police have launched an investigation after a man was found dead at Burning Man in the United States – the festival’s first potential homicide.

The body of an unidentified man was discovered in the festival’s Black Rock City campground on August 30.

The New York Times reported the man was found “lying in a pool of blood” around 9.14pm local time.

He was described as “obviously deceased” but the cause of death remains unclear and is under review by the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

The body was reportedly found as the wooden effigy known as the “Man” started to burn, one of the annual festival’s main events.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement they believe the death was a “singular crime” but gave no further details.

They said updates would follow “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”.

The New York Times reported several nearby attendees had been interviewed as the investigation continued.

Festival organisers said they were co-operating with authorities and advised attendees not to interfere.

“The investigation is ongoing, and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office will be the primary source of further information.”

The week-long festival is scheduled to run through to tomorrow.

Now in its 38th year, the event has already faced safety concerns after a desert storm caused major damage to the site.

The possible homicide marks a dark moment in Burning Man’s history as the first alleged murder since the festival began in 1986.