Ohio State suspends fraternity after video shows two people on fire
Photo: The Ohio State University (file photo)Ohio State University has placed its Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension after a video circulating on social media showed two people with their clothes on fire near the Columbus campus.
The university announced the suspension on Monday, calling the episode an "extremely concerning incident" and saying the fraternity will remain suspended pending a full investigation. The university said it has made referrals to law enforcement.
The video shows a person on the ground with his legs engulfed in flames while a bystander tries to put out the fire with an extinguisher. The person gets up and runs across the grass, colliding with a second person whose pants also catch fire, as a crowd of onlookers in Ohio State jerseys watches. Several people then step in to extinguish the flames, stomping on the fire and pulling off the burning clothing.
Both people are receiving needed medical care, the university said. A Columbus Division of Fire spokesperson told CNN affiliate WSYX that the two men were rushed to a local hospital in a private vehicle with burn injuries and are in stable condition.
The incident appears to have taken place Saturday in a neighborhood dotted with Greek life houses, Columbus police said. The exact location has not been confirmed, though the video appears to have been filmed at 1980 Indianola Avenue, a few minutes from the fraternity's main house, according to the Dispatch. Police said they received no calls about the incident on Saturday and were alerted on Sunday, when someone tipped them off to the video circulating online.
"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," Columbus police public information Sgt. Joe Albert said.
Steve Mitchell, CEO of the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization, said the group takes the matter seriously and is in contact with Ohio State and local law enforcement. "Sigma Alpha Epsilon holds its collegiate members to high standards of conduct and accountability," Mitchell said in a statement. "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."
The incident happened the same weekend the Buckeyes lost 41-28 to Oregon at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. It comes amid intensified scrutiny of fraternity conduct nationwide, in the fallout from allegations of gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity. At Ohio State, another fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, was suspended for 10 years earlier this year after sending a student to the hospital, and Kappa Delta Rho was suspended in April for alcohol and hazing violations.
Sources: CNN, "Ohio State fraternity placed on interim suspension after video shows two people on fire" (Nov. 9, 2026, full text verified); USA Today / The Columbus Dispatch, "Ohio State suspends fraternity after 'extremely concerning incident'" (Nov. 9, 2026, full text verified). Event date verified: Monday, November 9, 2026.
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