Charges laid in frat party fire that injured sorority sisters during beer Olympics

A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.

Bryson James Donald, 20, turned himself into London police on Thursday afternoon, and appeared in court Friday.

The event that triggered the blaze was associated with a drinking game called the beer Olympics, sources told CBC News. The party was a mixer between the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and women from the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, students say.

The fraternity, headquartered in Tennessee, said it was "actively gathering facts and expects that the responsible parties will be held responsible."

"The International Fraternity has been made aware of this tragic incident. Our primary concern continues to be the health and safety of all that are injured and impacted," Justin A. Buck, a vice president with the frat, wrote in a statement to CBC News.

Emergency crews were called to the Pi Kappa Alpha house at the corner of Richmond and Cheapside streets shortly before midnight on Tuesday, police said. The fraternity is commonly known as Pike.

Fire officials said an accelerant was used on a fire, which then spread to wrapping paper hanging on the walls. Six people were injured, five of them women who were taken to hospital. One man was treated at the scene for injuries that didn't require hospitalization.

Two women remain in hospital with burn injuries.

Local fraternity and sorority leaders have refused to comment.

"Alpha Gamma Delta is fully cooperating with authorities in their ongoing investigation," said Jenni Jones Despain, the senior director of fraternity wellness for the sorority, which is headquartered in Indiana.

"While we are not directly involved in the police investigation, we expect and encourage members to cooperate fully with law enforcement."

The Pike house is well-known to bylaw officers, London officials say.

"The property and activities at this address have been the subject of enforcement action by Municipal Law Enforcement Officers following neighbourhood complaints and proactive inspections," a spokesperson told CBC. "Officers have investigated property standards violations, excessive noise, and nuisance parties."