A woman unfortunately fell from a tall climbable Burning Man art. Rachael Gingery fell from an art piece resembling a sinking ship. Just before 6 a.m. on Saturday, Gingery climbed the wooden planks suspended on steel cables to the installation’s tilting crow’s nest, which sat atop a slanting pole that festival attendees could slide down. She fell about 20 feet. Luckily, she seems to be doing fine and will make a full recovery.
After losing her grip on the pole and falling, Gingery was transported by ambulance to Burning Man’s clinic, Rampart. There, staff performed x-rays and ultrasounds. After the clinic visit, advanced imaging was deemed necessary, so Gingery was then transported by ambulance to Reno. There, CT scans determined that she fractured her spine and a rib, and sustained bruises to a few internal organs. Rachael had this to say:
“We do not blame the art or artists in any way…We understand the risks we take at Burning Man and are grateful to the artists for bringing their art. We will 100% be out there again next year!”
The art piece, called Naga & the Captainess, is one of the prized sculptures at this year’s event. Located in deep playa, it features not only the sinking parts of a ship but also a sea serpent and interactive treasure chests, cargo crates, and wine barrels. It is estimated that between 30 and 40 Burners require medical transports every year.
This year’s exodus was damped by a major dust storm.
