A woman was hospitalized last night in critical condition after she was burned while performing a fire-breathing act near Nationwide Arena.

A woman was hospitalized last night in critical condition after she was burned while performing a fire-breathing act near Nationwide Arena.

Medics from the Columbus Division of Fire received a call at 7:12 p.m. that a person was burned while breathing fire at Nationwide Boulevard and West Street, which is at McFerson Commons near the arena.

Paramedics, who could be heard on police scanners, said the victim was a 23-year-old woman who was taken to Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University with burns on her face, neck and top half of her body.

Posts on social media said the woman was performing at the Blood Run 5K, a Halloween-themed race that started at 7:30 p.m. near Nationwide Arena and benefited people with blood disorders.

One post included a photo of a woman blowing a cloud of flame above her head. Soon after, another post said, �The fire breather just caught on fire.�

The name of the injured woman wasn�t released late last night, and police and firefighters who were contacted didn�t have more information.

cbinkley@dispatch.com

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