A 63-year-old man set himself on fire inside the lobby of a building that houses Google offices in downtown Manhattan on Friday, according to the Daily Mail.
Security staff managed to put out the flames. The unidentified man was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center and is reportedly in stable condition.
What we know so far
The incident happened at 315 Hudson Street at around 2:58 p.m. on Friday.
According to the New York Daily News, CCTV footage and other videos showed the man entering the building’s lobby before setting himself on fire. Police did not find a note or political leaflets on him.
Officers reportedly found a collapsible baton inside his bag. His reason for setting himself on fire remains unknown.
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What Google said
The incident did not happen inside Google’s offices. It took place in the lobby of the building, which Google shares with other companies. Google reportedly occupies more than 400,000 square feet of office space in the building.
A Google spokesperson 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."
{{/usCountry}}A Google spokesperson 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."
{{/usCountry}}"While the individual appeared to be seeking access to another tenant's space in the building, we remain in close contact with local authorities," the statement continued. "We are grateful to first responders."
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Witnesses recall the incident
A building worker told the Daily Mail that surveillance footage showed the man entering the building around 2 p.m. and then leaving. He returned about an hour later before suddenly setting himself on fire.
Another worker said he saw “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.
He said security guards used fire extinguishers to help put out the fire.
"When they brought him out, he was terribly burned, all wrapped in bandages," the worker told the outlet. "I don't know if you want to live that way. It was terrible."