Man sets himself on fire in lobby of Google office building in Lower Manhattan

A 63-year-old man set himself on fire Friday in the lobby of a Lower Manhattan building that houses offices for Google, authorities said. The unidentified man self-immolated inside the building on Hudson Street near Vandam Street just before 3 p.m., according to the NYPD and FDNY. Multiple people called 911, and first responders rushed the burned man to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition, officials said. Only a black backpack and a few scraps of debris were left behind in the aftermath, just outside the building that also houses the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. It was not immediately clear what was used to set the blaze or why he set himself on fire. Google occupies 410,556 square feet in the building, The Commercial Observer reported in 2024. "We are aware of an incident that occurred today in the lobby at 315 Hudson, a building we share with other tenants," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "While the individual appeared to be seeking access to another tenant’s space in the building, we remain in close contact with local authorities. We are grateful to first responders."