Video: Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner oak trees catch fire during Iron Bowl week
The toilet paper that was draped over the Toomer’s Corner oak trees after Auburn beat Alabama A&M mysteriously caught on fire Sunday morning.
At this point, it’s not clear if someone set fire to the toilet paper. But the timing is significant.
Auburn (3-8, 0-7 SEC) plays No. 2 Alabama (10-1, 6-1 SEC) on Saturday in the Iron Bowl. It’s one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football.
The fire happened at about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Local firefighters put out the blaze quickly. But Auburn said the fire caused “significant damage” to the trees.
“It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had as an Auburn student,” Auburn junior Alessio Summerfield said. “I think it took me and the group I was with quite a while to process what we were actually seeing.”
Fans traditionally throw toilet paper on the oak trees to celebrate a victory.
Auburn beat Alabama A&M, 51-7, on Saturday.
In January of 2011, Alabama football fan Harvey Updyke admitted to poisoning the Toomer’s oak trees. He made the claim on the nationally syndicated Paul Finebaum Radio Show after Auburn won the BCS National Championship.
Updyke’s trial was originally set to start last June. The trial was delayed when Updyke confessed to poisoning the trees during an interview with a reporter outside the courtroom.
And yes Tom, I totally agree! What is Bama A&M? An equivalent of a rookie A team in baseball? Give me a break!
Between psycho radical Alabama fans and Auburn fans who have no clue, those poor trees don’t stand a chance. They should just be chainsawed down and properly put out of their misery!
Are you kidding me? Auburn celebrates win over “Bama A&M”? “WOW,” congratulations.