COLUMBUS, Ohio (Diya TV) — Ohio State University suspended its Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter after a video circulated online showing two men catching fire in front of a crowd near campus. Columbus police, university police and the city fire department’s Arson Unit are investigating whether the incident involved criminal conduct.
Police said the incident appeared to happen Saturday, Nov. 7, on Indianola Avenue. The video shows a crowd gathered outside, many wearing Ohio State colors. One man’s pants are burning as he moves on the ground. He then gets up, runs into another man and knocks him down; the second man’s clothing catches fire as well. A bystander appears to try using a fire extinguisher, while several others step in to help put out the flames. Some people in the crowd appear to laugh or shout. The footage does not establish what started the fire or why the men caught fire.
A Columbus fire spokesperson told a local station that the men went to a hospital in a private vehicle with burn injuries and were in stable condition. Ohio State said they were receiving medical care but did not identify them or release details about their injuries. The university has not said whether the men are students or fraternity members, or explained the chapter’s connection to the gathering.
No one called police when the incident happened. Columbus police learned about the video Sunday evening after someone reported that it was circulating online. Investigators are now working with Ohio State and the Columbus Division of Fire’s Arson Unit to determine whether anyone committed a crime. Authorities have not announced any charges or said what caused the fire.
Ohio State placed Sigma Alpha Epsilon on interim suspension Nov. 8, according to the university’s student conduct office. The suspension bars the chapter from holding or participating in activities as a registered student organization while the investigation proceeds. It does not amount to a final finding against the fraternity.
University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson called the incident “extremely concerning” and said Ohio State expects students and student groups to uphold the university’s safety standards. Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s national chief executive, Steve Mitchell, said the organization is investigating with university officials and law enforcement. He said it will hold responsible parties accountable based on the findings.
Local public radio reported that the incident occurred at a party hosted by the fraternity. The university’s public statement, however, did not describe the event or specify how the chapter was involved. Investigators have not said whether the fire resulted from an accident, a stunt or another cause.
The next steps will depend on the police and university investigations. Ohio State can keep the chapter suspended while it reviews the evidence and decides whether to bring student-conduct charges. For now, the public record establishes that two people suffered burn injuries, the university suspended the chapter, and investigators have not determined how the fire started or whether anyone broke the law.
