Man sets himself on fire inside NYC Google office building as horrified staff rush to put out flames

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 17:46 EDT, 28 August 2026 | Updated: 19:38 EDT, 28 August 2026 A man set himself on fire inside the lobby of a downtown Manhattan office building partly occupied by Google. The 63-year-old self-immolated at 315 Hudson Street around 2.58pm on Friday, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) told the Daily Mail.The building is home to Google, the NYPD and others tenants, with a source telling the Mail that the man was attempting to gain access to the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau inside the premises.Video showed the man walking into the building's lobby before blowing up in flames, the New York Daily News reported. Horrified security staff reportedly managed to douse the fire and he was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center in a stable condition.The fire is believed to have started in the man's book bag and been fueled by lighter fluid, sources told the outlet. The man did not say anything or carry any political leaflets. Photos of the scene afterwards showed a singed backpack off the curb of the building, where Google occupies more than 400,000sq ft of office space. A man has been rushed to the hospital after he set himself on fire inside the lobby of a downtown Manhattan office building A 63-year-old man burst into flames inside the lobby of 315 Hudson Street which houses Google on FridayA building worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the outlet that surveillance footage showed the man first entering the building around 2pm and then leaving. He returned to the lobby about one hour later before suddenly exploding, according to the staffer.Another worker said he spotted 'flames in the lobby' from across the street.'Then the flames were running around the lobby, and security was trying to put him out,' the second worker added.Police found a collapsible baton inside the man's bag, the Daily News reported. The worker said a security guard had emerged from the building and thrown the burning backpack out on the street. Meanwhile, the other guards helped the man with fire extinguishers.'When they brought him out, he was terribly burned, all wrapped in bandages,' the worker said. 'I don't know if you want to live that way. It was terrible.' The New York City Police Department set up a crime scene outside the building, pictured here on a separate day Google's downtown Manhattan headquarters are at 550 Washington Street, a few blocks from where Friday's incident happened (Photo of the building in January 2024)A crime scene was set up outside the building by the NYPD after the incident, in which no one else was injured.No arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing, police said.A spokesperson for Google told the Daily Mail: 'We are aware of an incident that occurred today in the lobby at 315 Hudson, a building we share with other tenants.'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.' Google's downtown Manhattan headquarters are located at 550 Washington Street in the Hudson Square neighborhood, about a seven minute walk away from 315 Hudson. Authorities have not shared any details about the man's identity or motive.