Acadia student in critical condition after drinking game

A 19-year-old Acadia University student is fighting for his life in a Halifax hospital after consuming a large amount of alcohol during a frosh week drinking game.

The teen, from Alberta, was found unconscious at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday in a basement dorm room at the Wolfville, N.S., university .

As of Tuesday afternoon, he was in critical condition suffering from severe alcohol poisoning.

Student Dylan Saulnier heard the news at a meeting for everyone who lives in the residence.

"I heard he had a little bit too much to drink and when they put him to bed he had a hard time breathing and they took him to hospital," he said.

Nathan Rodger, who is also 19, said the student was playing a drinking game with others on various floors of the residence, heading from one lounge to another.

"He was drinking a 40 [oz.] of something and he pretty much drank the whole thing," recounted Rodger. "Yeah, we were playing 'flip cup' and he had it straight in the can, just right in the thing. Not even mixing it. I think he finished probably most of it, all of it."

Rodger said news of the student's condition hit hard, especially to the students who were partying with him.

"Everything was going well, nobody was breaking anything or smashing bottles and then that happened. Everybody this morning, people really emotional. It hits home."

The university has so far refused comment.

Foul play is not suspected, but RCMP said an investigation is underway to determine if any criminal activity led to the student's condition.