Incendiary device sparks fire outside NYC federal building

A man is in custody after a makeshift incendiary device sparked a fire Monday outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, officials said. Two people had minor injuries, and the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident as a possible act of terrorism.

Key Takeaways

• Authorities say a man deployed a makeshift incendiary device of fireworks and flammable liquid outside 26 Federal Plaza on Monday morning.
• Two people suffered minor injuries; flames were extinguished before they reached the immigration processing building.
• The suspect, believed to be a protester with a history of anti-ICE activity, was taken into custody with a cart marked "ICE Off Our Streets."
• The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation; Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the episode deeply disturbing.

Video from the scene showed a person pouring a flammable liquid on the sidewalk outside the Lower Manhattan federal complex, then setting it alight. Smoke and flames rose quickly along the plaza as officers moved in.

According to ABC7 New York, the blaze was put out before it reached the building where immigrants are processed and where FBI and ICE personnel work. Officials said the structure went into a shelter-in-place order out of an abundance of caution.

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What happened outside 26 Federal Plaza on Monday?

Police said a man armed with a collection of weapons started the fire outside 26 Federal Plaza on Monday morning. The Los Angeles Times reported that an incendiary device was deployed outside the New York federal building and that a person was taken into custody, according to the FBI.

FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media that two minor injuries had been reported. ABC7 likewise reported that two people had minor injuries.

The building at 26 Federal Plaza houses multiple government offices, including the New York office of the FBI, and an immigration court where many migrants have been arrested after leaving hearings, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Footage obtained by news outlets showed law enforcement securing the area as smoke billowed from the sidewalk fire. Officers restrained a person and removed them from the scene, according to images and video described by the Los Angeles Times.

Who is being held, and what was found nearby?

Police say the person is believed to be a protester with a history of anti-ICE activity. Authorities described the device as a "makeshift incendiary device" built from fireworks and a flammable liquid.

A separate video showed officers gathered around weapons reportedly found in the man's possession, including a pellet gun, a knife, and a hammer, ABC7 reported. The NYPD said it was examining a cart the suspect wheeled with him that contained fireworks and airsoft rifles. The cart carried a sign reading "ICE Off Our Streets."

Officers quickly secured the area after the fire was set. The suspect was taken into custody as investigators began processing the plaza.

Why does this Federal Plaza incident matter?

26 Federal Plaza is a high-traffic hub for immigration processing and federal law enforcement in Lower Manhattan. An outdoor fire and smoke plume outside such a facility can prompt shelter-in-place orders and heightened security that affect everyone nearby—not only people with business inside the building.

Officials are investigating the episode as a possible act of terrorism. That means the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is examining the scene and how the device was used outside a building that also houses ICE and immigration court operations.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said what occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza was "deeply disturbing." He said he was relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody. Mamdani added that his team was in touch with the NYPD and would support the federal investigation, pledging to keep New Yorkers safe and hold accountable anyone who threatens that safety.

What happens next in the investigation?

The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the deployment of the device outside the plaza. Local police response and scene security have been coordinated with federal authorities as the probe continues.

As of Monday afternoon reporting from ABC7 and the Los Angeles Times, authorities had not publicly detailed formal charges in those accounts. Investigators have video of flammable liquid being poured and ignited, plus items recovered from the cart and from the man's reported possession, to review as the case moves forward.

Until more details are released, the confirmed picture remains clear: a makeshift incendiary device was used outside a major immigration and federal law-enforcement building, two people were lightly hurt, the fire was contained before it entered the structure, and a suspect is in custody while federal counterterrorism investigators lead the case.

BlasterPost will update this report if officials release additional verified information about charges, identity, or motive. In the meantime, the primary public accounts remain those from ABC7 New York, the Los Angeles Times, and official statements from the FBI and city leadership.