Fire destroys marine science laboratory building at University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus

Sun, 03 May 2026 07:18:00 +0200

A large fire broke out on Saturday afternoon at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus, severely damaging the Marine Science Laboratory building. Campus police reported that emergency crews were dispatched quickly after the fire was detected, and an urgent alert was sent to students and staff instructing them to evacuate the building and avoid the surrounding area. Fortunately, authorities confirmed that the evacuation was successful and no injuries were reported.

Witnesses observed thick gray smoke rising from the structure as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. According to reports, the alert was issued shortly before 6 p.m., prompting a rapid response from emergency personnel. More than 60 fire units and approximately 200 firefighters were involved in battling the fire, highlighting the scale and intensity of the incident.

By around 9 p.m., officials indicated that the fire had been largely brought under control. However, St. Petersburg Fire Chief Michael Le