Ohio State fraternity placed on interim suspension after video shows two people on fire
By Elizabeth Wolfe, Gloria Pazmino, CNN
(CNN) — An Ohio State fraternity has been temporarily suspended after a widely circulated video captured two people whose clothes were engulfed in fire, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers in university jerseys.
The suspension is in place while authorities investigate an “extremely concerning” incident involving Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the university said in a statement. Ohio State’s chapter represents a national fraternity with a mission of “advancing the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, leadership, and service.”
The university says it alerted Columbus police to the incident.
The video begins with a person in gray sweatpants kicking on the ground while their legs are engulfed in flames. A bystander appears to try to put out the fire with an extinguisher but struggles to deploy the fire retardant. The person on fire gets up and runs across the dry, leaf-strewn grass and collides with another person whose pants also appear to be on fire. A large circle of onlookers in Ohio State jerseys and colors are watching as the chaos unfolds, then several people step in to try to extinguish the flames by stomping and pulling the clothes off their bodies.
Both people are “receiving needed medical care,” the university said.
A Columbus Division of Fire spokesperson told CNN affiliate WSYX that the men in the video were rushed to a local hospital in a private vehicle with burn injuries and are in stable condition.
“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,” the university said in a statement.
The incident appears to have taken place Saturday in a neighborhood dotted with Greek life houses, including the large, four-story brick home of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the Columbus Division of Police said.
It is not clear where, exactly, the incident took place.
“We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident while working closely with university officials and local law enforcement,” Steve Mitchell, the CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said in a statement.
“Sigma Alpha Epsilon holds its collegiate members to high standards of conduct and accountability. Behavior that violates these standards has no place in our organization. We are committed to holding those responsible accountable and will take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.”
Ohio State’s Buckeyes faced off against the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, losing the home game 41-28.
Police did not receive any calls about the incident on Saturday, but they were alerted on Sunday as the video began proliferating online, Public Information Sgt. Joe Albert said.
“We will be working with the Ohio State University, as well as the Columbus Division of Fire’s Arson Unit, to determine if any criminal acts occurred,” Albert said.
The university’s action comes amid intensified scrutiny of fraternity conduct – and college administrations’ handling of it – in the fallout from allegations of gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity. A lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student in September returned a spotlight to long-standing concerns about alleged misconduct in Greek life and how schools, investigators and prosecutors respond.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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