A 63-year-old man set himself on fire in the lobby of a building at 315 Hudson Street in downtown Manhattan on Friday afternoon. The building houses offices for Google, among other tenants.
New York City Police Department received a call about the incident shortly before 3 p.m. Video footage showed the man entering the building's lobby and then bursting into flames. Security staff within the building were able to extinguish the fire before the man was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center in stable condition. No other individuals were injured.
Sources told the New York Daily News that the fire appeared to originate from the man's backpack, which may have contained lighter fluid. The man did not speak or carry any political materials, according to reports. Following the incident, a singed backpack was found on the curb outside the building. Police also discovered a collapsible baton inside the man's bag.
A building worker, who spoke anonymously, stated that surveillance footage showed the man entering the building around 2 p.m. and leaving, only to return about an hour later before igniting himself.
Another worker across the street reported seeing "flames in the lobby" that were being attended to by security personnel.
The NYPD established a crime scene outside the building. A spokesperson for Google acknowledged awareness of the incident, stating that the individual appeared to be seeking access to another tenant's space. The company is cooperating with authorities and expressed gratitude to first responders.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, and no arrests have been made. The building at 315 Hudson Street also houses the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau.