Ohio State suspends fraternity while investigating a video showing men engulfed in flames
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- Ohio State has temporarily suspended Sigma Alpha Epsilon while it investigates a video showing two men catching fire and panicked onlookers trying to help.
- The university referred the matter to campus and Columbus police; officials have not said how the fraternity was connected or identified the men’s conditions.
- The incident comes as fraternities face renewed national scrutiny after a former Cornell student sued over an alleged sexual assault at a 2024 party.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A fraternity at Ohio State University has been temporarily suspended while authorities investigate a video that appears to show two panicked men engulfed in flames.
A video shared on social media shows a large group of people standing outside, many wearing the school’s red and white colors, laughing and shouting while a man sits on the ground with his sweatpants on fire. He then lunges at a second person and tackles him. The second man’s clothing also catches fire, and they both roll on the ground removing their clothes as several onlookers intervene. One appears to be holding a small fire extinguisher.
University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said the school has placed Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension while it investigates, and has referred the matter to university and Columbus police. The university did not say how the fraternity is linked to the event, whether the burned men are students or what condition they were in Monday.
“The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident, and the individuals in question are receiving medical care,” Johnson said in a statement. “Ohio State is committed to a safe and healthy environment and expects students and student organizations to uphold that commitment and the university’s values.”
Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said it appears the incident took place on Saturday. Police did not receive any calls for service at the location, but someone called police Sunday evening reporting that the video was circulating online, he said.
Steve Mitchell, CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said behavior that violates its high standards has no place in its organization and it will take appropriate action to hold those responsible accountable based on the investigation.
“We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident while working closely with university officials and local law enforcement,” he said in a statement.
More than 60,000 students are enrolled at the university.
The episode comes as fraternities are back in the national spotlight in the wake of a former Cornell University student’s lawsuit saying she was gang-raped at a fraternity party in 2024.
Aftoora-Orsagos and Ramer write for the Associated Press. Ramer reported from Concord, N.H.
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