Ohio State University has placed its Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter on interim suspension after a widely circulated video captured two people whose clothes were engulfed in fire, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers near campus.
The video, about 35 seconds long and shared on X with the caption "STOP DROP AND ROLL #SAE #OSU," begins with a person in gray sweatpants on the ground with their legs in flames. The person gets up and tackles a second man, whose clothing also catches fire.
The incident appears to have taken place on Saturday, November 7, in the 1900 block of Indianola Avenue, a neighborhood near campus dotted with Greek life houses, Columbus police said. The university's Buckeyes lost to Oregon 41-28 at Ohio Stadium the same day.
Both people are "receiving needed medical care," the university said. A Columbus Division of Fire spokesperson told CNN affiliate WSYX that the men were rushed to a local hospital in a private vehicle with burn injuries and are in stable condition.
No 911 calls were made about the incident, and police said they were only alerted on Sunday as the video spread online. Columbus police are working with the university and the Columbus Division of Fire's arson unit to determine whether any crimes occurred; no arrests or charges had been announced as of Monday.
"The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident," university spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said in a statement. The university has referred the matter to law enforcement. Steve Mitchell, chief executive of the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization, said the fraternity is investigating and cooperating with university officials and law enforcement and will hold those responsible accountable.
It remains unclear how the men's clothing caught fire, whether the two are students, or whether the incident involved hazing.
