CNN · November 9, 2026

A fraternity at Ohio State University has been temporarily suspended after a disturbing video circulated online showing two people whose clothing caught fire during an incident near the university’s campus in Columbus, Ohio.

The university has referred the incident to campus police and Columbus police. Both individuals were receiving medical care, according to the university. News Channel 3-12+1

Viral Video Shows Two People Catching Fire During Ohio State Fraternity Incident

What happened?

The incident appears to have happened on Saturday, November 7, in a neighborhood near Ohio State University in Columbus.

A video shared on social media shows one person sitting on the ground with their sweatpants engulfed in flames. The person then gets up, runs toward another individual and collides with them, causing the second person’s clothing to catch fire as well.

Both individuals roll on the ground and try to remove their burning clothes. Several people eventually intervene to help extinguish the flames. News Channel 3-12+1

Sigma Alpha Epsilon placed on suspension

Ohio State University placed its Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity chapter on interim suspension while the investigation continues.

The university described the incident as extremely concerning and said both individuals were receiving medical care.

The university has not publicly confirmed whether the two people involved were students or explained precisely how the fraternity was connected to the incident. News Channel 3-12+1

Police and fire investigation

Columbus police said they did not receive an emergency call about the incident on Saturday. Officers were alerted on Sunday evening after the video began circulating online.

Police are working with Ohio State University and the Columbus Division of Fire’s Arson Unit to determine whether any criminal activity occurred. News Channel 3-12+1

Fraternity responds

Steve Mitchell, CEO of the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization, said the fraternity was investigating alongside university officials and local law enforcement.

He said the organization expects its members to follow its standards of conduct and accountability and would take appropriate action based on the investigation’s findings. News Channel 3-12+1

Investigation status: As of November 9, authorities had not publicly announced criminal charges or disclosed the full circumstances of the incident.

Social media post

Ohio State University has temporarily suspended its Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter after a disturbing video circulated online showing two people whose clothing caught fire during an incident near campus.

The video appears to show one person running toward another while their clothes are burning. The second person’s clothing also catches fire, and several people rush to help extinguish the flames.

The incident reportedly happened on November 7 in Columbus, Ohio.

University officials confirmed that both individuals were receiving medical care. The case has been referred to university police and Columbus police.

Authorities are also working with the Columbus Division of Fire’s Arson Unit to determine whether any criminal acts occurred.

No criminal charges had been publicly announced as of November 9.

📍 Columbus, Ohio, USA
📅 Incident: November 7, 2026
📅 Report: November 9, 2026
🏛️ Fraternity: Sigma Alpha Epsilon
🚔 Investigation: Ohio State and Columbus police

🔗 Source: CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/11/09/us/ohio-state-fraternity-sigma-alpha-epsilon-fire-fight

#OhioState #SigmaAlphaEpsilon #CollegeNews #USNews #CampusSafety #CNN

Make the headline more neutralShorten the post for social media