Some users reported that the installer imposes an exceedingly high CPU load on their machine, see quote below. In a later (off-list) conversation, that same user from the quote stated more specifically, that the effect manifested during the download and install phase, and that he never before experienced system loads that high during recent installations of other distributions on that same machine. There have been similar reports posted to the #devuan IRC channel (unfortunately I cannot link to those).

Since there is more than one report like this, there is at least some reason to assume it was not caused by coincidental hardware failure, and not just a one-off glitch either.

Quote from DNG Message-ID: 20160514001328.24fc3f39.emninger@riseup.net :

I was unable to install from the installer usb, because the machine always stopped because overheated (> 90\xc2\xb0!!!!). In the end i had the - good, but doubtful idea to put the samsung on a box with crashed ice and voil\xc3\xa0 ... I do not know, why, but there seem something in the Devuan (Debian) installer routines which is extremely cpu intense (compared to the installers of other distros. With slackware that was never ever a problem, during the installation i mean!).