Ohio State Fraternity Suspended After 𝘴h☉𝔠king Video Shows Two Students Engulfed in Flames During Suspected Hazing Incident

An Ohio State University fraternity has been temporarily suspended after a disturbing video emerged showing two young men catching fire in front of a crowd of students during an incident now being investigated as possible hazing.

The footage, which spread rapidly across social media, shows one man sitting on the ground with his sweatpants engulfed in flames. He suddenly gets up, runs toward another man and tackles him, causing the second man’s clothing to catch fire as well.

Both men struggle on the ground, desperately trying to remove their burning clothes while a crowd stands nearby. Some people appear to laugh and shout before others eventually move in to help.

The incident reportedly took place on Saturday, November 7, outside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on Indianola Avenue in Columbus, Ohio.

Two students suffer second- and third-degree burns

According to a preliminary Columbus police report, both individuals were students who suffered moderate second- and third-degree burns.

The university confirmed that the men received medical treatment but has not publicly identified them or disclosed further details about their conditions.

Authorities did not receive an emergency call at the scene when the incident occurred. Instead, police learned about the footage on Sunday evening, November 8, after a student who had received the video through a group chat contacted authorities.

In a recording of the 911 call reported by CBS News, the caller alleged that the men had been set on fire as part of a fraternity initiation activity.

The caller claimed that gasoline had been poured on one of the individuals before he was ignited. However, investigators have not publicly established exactly how the fire started or confirmed the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Fraternity placed under interim suspension

Ohio State University announced that its chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon had been placed on interim suspension while the incident is investigated.

University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson described the footage as extremely concerning and said the school expected students and student organizations to uphold its standards of conduct.

The university also referred the matter to campus authorities and Columbus police.

The fraternity’s national organization said it was cooperating with university officials and law enforcement. CEO Steve Mitchell stated that behavior violating the organization’s standards had no place within the fraternity and that those responsible would be held accountable based on the investigation’s findings.

A preliminary police report identifies the fraternity chapter’s president, George Limperis, as part of the investigation. Authorities have not publicly established individual criminal responsibility.

Police investigate possible hazing and criminal conduct

Columbus police are investigating whether the incident involved hazing or other criminal activity. The Columbus Division of Fire’s Arson Unit is also assisting with the investigation.

The case has drawn attention to Ohio’s anti-hazing laws, particularly Collin’s Law, enacted in 2021 following the dєatᩚh of Ohio University student Stone Foltz after a fraternity initiation event.

The law strengthened penalties for hazing and expanded the circumstances under which individuals can be held responsible for conduct that creates a substantial risk of physical or mєntal harm.

The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not yet announced criminal charges related to the incident.

A disturbing scene raises questions about bystanders

Perhaps one of the most troubling aspects of the footage is the apparent reaction of the people surrounding the two burning men.

Rather than immediately rushing to help, some onlookers appear to laugh and shout as the victims struggle on the ground. In one portion of the video, a person appears to attempt to use a small fire extinguisher, but does not successfully put out the flames.

The footage has sparked widespread anger online, with viewers questioning why the men were allowed to remain in danger while others watched.

For now, investigators are working to establish who was involved, what caused the fire and whether the incident was connected to fraternity hazing.

The two students are receiving medical care, while Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Ohio State chapter remains suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.