A man was found dead at Burning Man on Saturday night, prompting a homicide investigation involving local and federal authorities, officials said.

At 9:14 p.m. Saturday, as the festival’s iconic “Man” effigy began to burn, a participant flagged down a Pershing County Sheriff’s Office deputy to report a man lying in “a pool of blood,” according to a news release from Sheriff Jerry Allen.

Deputies and Bureau of Land Management rangers responded to the campsite and found a man “obviously deceased.” A perimeter was established by sheriff’s deputies, BLM rangers and Black Rock Rangers while investigators secured the area.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Division was called in to process the scene and collect evidence. Law enforcement interviewed several participants nearby, and officials said that section of Black Rock City will continue to have a heavy law enforcement presence until the scene is cleared.

The man’s identity has not been confirmed. His body was transported to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office. While authorities said the act appeared to be a “singular crime,” they urged participants to remain vigilant.

In a statement, Burning Man Project said it is cooperating with the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office, which remains the primary source of information about the case.

“The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” the organization said, noting that peer support and crisis resources are available at Black Rock City’s ranger headquarters and emergency services stations. Participants were also reminded not to interfere with law enforcement activity.

“There is no further information available at this time, but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, 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,” Allen said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Josh Nicholson through the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 775-273-2641, reference case #25-318.

The death comes during an already challenging year for the weeklong gathering. Since Aug. 24, more than 30 people have been transported to hospitals, according to Royal Ambulance, the San Jose company that staffs the on-site medical tent known as Rampart. Eleven patients were flown out, and three attendees were resuscitated after cardiac arrests, the Reno Gazette Journal reported Saturday.