The man who set himself on fire inside a Lower Manhattan office building has been arrested for arson, the NYPD said Saturday.
John Butch, 63, allegedly lit himself on fire with the help of a “lighter accelerant” in the lobby of a building that houses Google on Hudson Street near Vandam Street around 3 p.m. Friday, cops said.
He has been charged with criminal mischief, arson and reckless endangerment, police said.
After Butch allegedly self-immolated inside the building, which also houses the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, multiple people called 911 and first responders rushed him to Weill Cornell Medical Center, officials said.
He is receiving burn treatment there and was listed in stable condition, cops said.
Police confirmed Butch is not an NYPD employee.
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 Friday.
“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.”
