Two students were engulfed in flames during an alleged hazing incident, and the university suspended the fraternity.

The Ohio State University imposed a provisional suspension on the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity following the incident recorded near campus. (X / @ZachBitango) The Ohio State University has provisionally suspended the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter while authorities investigate an incident that occurred near campus and may be related to an initiation practice. The case gained prominence after a video circulated on social media showing two young men with their clothes on fire during a gathering. The investigation seeks to determine how the episode occurred, the involvement of the members of the student organization, and whether crimes were committed. The university, the Columbus Police, and the fraternity's national organization are involved in the inquiries to clarify the circumstances. The images shared on social media show a young man sitting on the ground while his sweatpants are engulfed in flames. He then gets up and lunges at another person, whose clothes also begin to burn. Both try to remove their garments while some attendees intervene to help them. The recording shows a large group gathered outside a house. Several people are wearing clothing with the red and white colors associated with The Ohio State University. Shouts are heard, and some attendees are seen trying to put out the fire. One person appears with a small fire extinguisher, although it is unclear if they managed to use it. The incident occurred on Saturday, November 7, around 11:00 a.m., at a Sigma Alpha Epsilon house located on Indianola Avenue, near the university campus. The university spokesperson, Benjamin Johnson, confirmed that the fraternity chapter is under provisional suspension while investigations proceed. In a statement reported by Associated Press, he described the episode as extremely concerning and noted that the people involved were receiving medical attention. The measure temporarily prevents the organization from conducting activities while the institution examines what happened and determines if its internal rules were violated. The university has not publicly detailed what elements allowed the formal link between the gathering and the student chapter to be established. A video circulated on social media recording two young men with their clothes on fire during a gathering at a house on Indianola Avenue. (Screenshots) The Columbus Police became aware of the episode one day after it occurred. According to the preliminary report, officers received no emergency calls from the location on Saturday, November 7. The first notice came on Sunday, November 8, at approximately 9:30 p.m., when a student contacted police services after seeing the images in a group chat. During the call, later broadcast by CBS News, the woman stated that the young men could be prospective members of the fraternity and that they had been set on fire as part of an initiation activity. She also mentioned the possible use of gasoline. However, the complainant did not witness the incident directly and explained that she learned about what happened through the video she received. For this reason, the alleged use of fuel and the circumstances of the activity still need to be verified by investigators. The communication allowed the authorities to begin the procedures to identify the people who participated in the gathering and establish what happened before, during, and after the fire. The two affected students suffered second and third-degree burns that required specialized medical attention. (Screenshot) The police report specified that the two young men involved were students at The Ohio State University and suffered second and third-degree burns. Authorities described the injuries as moderate. Second-degree burns affect the epidermis and part of the dermis, a deeper layer of the skin. They can cause blisters, intense pain, and complications such as infections, depending on their extent. Third-degree burns destroy all layers of the skin and can reach the tissues beneath it. Treatment may require specialized care, skin grafts, or surgical interventions, depending on the severity and the affected area. The university initially reported that both were receiving medical attention but did not disclose their identities or specify which health centers treated them. No details were provided regarding their recovery or whether they remained hospitalized. Authorities did not report any other injured persons during the gathering. A student alerted the Columbus Police to the incident a day after the events after receiving the recording in a chat. (Screenshot) The Columbus Police are working with The Ohio State University and the city Fire Department's specialized fire investigation unit to determine if crimes were committed. One of the main lines of investigation is the possible occurrence of hazing, known in the United States as hazing. The term encompasses initiation practices that can subject participants to situations of physical or psychological risk, humiliation, or dangerous activities as a condition for entering or remaining in an organization. The police report also identifies the president of the university chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, George Limperis, among the people related to the proceedings. His appearance in the document does not mean he has been declared responsible or necessarily faces criminal charges. Sergeant Joe Albert, spokesperson for the Columbus Police, noted that officers are working with university authorities and fire investigators to establish the circumstances of the episode. As of Wednesday, November 11, no arrests or formal charges had been announced. Investigators still need to determine who started the fire, if there was prior planning, and what responsibility each person present may have had. Local authorities and fire experts are investigating whether the fire was linked to hazing or an initiation practice. (Screenshot) Steve Mitchell, CEO of the national organization of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, confirmed that the entity is aware of the incident and is working with the university and local authorities. In a statement, he maintained that conduct contrary to the fraternity's standards does not take place within the organization and assured that appropriate measures will be taken once the investigation results are known. The group also has disciplinary history at The Ohio State University. According to the institution's historical archives cited by Associated Press, the chapter received at least seven sanctions since 2001 for violations related to alcohol consumption, hazings, and other behaviors that put its members at risk. However, the fraternity is not listed among the organizations sanctioned for hazings in the university registry over the last five years. These backgrounds offer context about its institutional history but do not prove responsibility for the current episode. Nationally, Sigma Alpha Epsilon eliminated its traditional applicant initiation process, known as pledging, in 2014 after a series of serious incidents linked to these practices. The Columbus case occurred on the same day that the Ohio State football team hosted Oregon in a college game. The temporal coincidence helps explain the presence of attendees wearing the institution's colors, although it does not establish a relationship between the sporting event and the investigated incident.