Visitors to Google’s New York offices got a shocking scene on Friday afternoon, when a man in his 60s reportedly lit himself on fire inside a Hudson Street building in Manhattan, police say. The incident unfolded just before 3pm in the Hudson Square neighborhood near Spring Street, reports the New York Daily News. Medics took the man to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. No one else was hurt.
Police cordoned off the area around the building’s entrance, where a burned backpack was seen on the street. “We are aware of an incident that occurred today in the lobby at 315 Hudson, a building we share with other tenants,” Google said in a statement, per the New York Post. “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 company added: “We are grateful to first responders.” The Daily Voice identifies the man as 63-year-old John Butch of Brooklyn, with the NYPD noting that he was charged with arson, criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment. Investigators haven’t yet identified a motive and are continuing to look into what led up to the incident, per the Daily News.