Man Sets Himself on Fire Inside Google NYC Office Lobby

Surveillance Footage and Incident Details

Surveillance footage reviewed by building staff showed the man entering the building around 2 p.m., leaving, and then returning to the lobby about an hour later, according to a building worker who spoke to the New York Daily News. Video footage captured the man wearing a tan sweater, gray pants, and sneakers while carrying a book bag before he suddenly burst into flames, a source familiar with the investigation told the Daily News.

Investigators believe the fire may have sparked when an item inside the man’s backpack ignited, sources told the Daily News. Photos taken after the incident showed a singed backpack lying off the curb outside the building. Police officers who searched the bag found a collapsible baton inside, though authorities confirmed they did not recover any political leaflets that would indicate an act of protest, according to the Daily News.

Response from Security and Emergency Services

Horrified security staff inside the Hudson Square building rushed to extinguish the flames using fire extinguishers, while one guard managed to throw the burning backpack out into the street, a witness told the New York Daily News. “I saw the flames in the lobby, and security was trying to put him out,” a building worker told the outlet.

Emergency medics responded to the scene and transported the victim to Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment. Officials confirmed that the man suffered severe burns to his head, upper body, and arms, but he was listed in stable condition. No other injuries were reported during the incident.

Google Office Location and Police Investigation

The building at 315 Hudson Street is located near Spring Street in Hudson Square, where Google occupies more than 400,000 square feet of office space. The tech giant renewed its lease in the building in June, which forms part of its larger downtown campus that also includes a headquarters site at 550 Washington Street and a major hub on Eighth Avenue in Chelsea.

Following the incident, the New York Police Department established a crime scene extending outside the front doors of the building.