An Ohio State University fraternity has been placed on temporary suspension after a disturbing video appeared to show two young men engulfed in flames while bystanders laughed and watched.
The video circulating on social media shows a large crowd dressed in the school’s red and white colors. In the footage, a man wearing a gray sweatsuit sits on the ground as his pants burn.
He then panics, runs toward another man dressed in a similar outfit and dives into him, setting the second man’s clothing on fire. The two men struggle before falling to the ground and removing their clothes as the flames spread across their bodies.
Several people eventually moved in to help put out the fire. At least one person appeared to be carrying a fire extinguisher.
Ohio State has since placed the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension following the alarming footage. The university has not said how the fraternity was connected to what it called an “extremely concerning incident,” nor whether the people involved are members.
“The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident, and the individuals in question are receiving medical care,” university spokesperson Benjamin 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.”
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Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said the incident appeared to have taken place during an event Saturday. However, police received no calls for service beyond a report that the video was circulating online.
The condition of the two men remains unclear. It is also not known whether they were students or whether the incident was connected to a hazing ritual.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon CEO Steve Mitchell said the organization would take appropriate action against anyone found responsible after 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.
Fraternities nationwide have faced increased scrutiny after a Cornell University student alleged that seven Chi Phi fraternity members drugged and gang-raped her in 2024.
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