Police Ask Students NOT To Burn Couches With Flamethrowers

Two people have been cited in West Virginia after the fog of celebration overtook their best judgment and they set fire to some furniture after West Virginia University beat Pitt over the weekend.

The two cited are students, one of whom is a WVU student. The other student, who attends Washington & Jefferson College. That student was the one weilding a flamethrower and used it on a couch. Both students have been cited for malicious burning and face fines up to $2,000.

They may also have to pay the city the cost of putting out the fire.

Couch burning to celebrate a huge WVU win has apparently been a traditional thing, so much so that 12 years ago, students got together and made a PSA to get people to stop burning the couches.

Three other students involved with the flamethrower couch incident have agreed to help the owner of the property the couch was burned on clean up their property instead of being cited for their involvement.

“We want our community to enjoy these games, our great City, and all it has to offer, but celebrations should never cross into lawlessness, chaos, and destruction,” Morgantown Fire Marshal Captain Jason Quinn said. “Setting fires puts lives at risk and needlessly ties up public safety officials at a time when they are already working hard to protect the city and its residents.”

The Fire Marshall's office said that officials witnessed the burning, but they're examining some other social media videos to see if anyone else needs charged.

The school released a statement after the incident:

“We expect our students to follow all applicable laws and ordinances. In addition to the city citation, the student may face possible University disciplinary action under the Campus Student Code which specifically addresses “impermissible burning.”

Read more at WBOY