Firefighters Extinguish Blaze at University of South Florida Laboratory
- Firefighters worked through the night to extinguish a two-alarm blaze that destroyed a laboratory building on the University of South Florida (USF) campus in St.
- The fire broke out Saturday evening at the Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building, located at 140 7th Avenue South.
- Plumes of billowing gray smoke were observed pouring from the structure as emergency crews responded to the scene.
Firefighters worked through the night to extinguish a two-alarm blaze that destroyed a laboratory building on the University of South Florida (USF) campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The fire broke out Saturday evening at the Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building, located at 140 7th Avenue South. According to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, the incident prompted a full evacuation of the facility.
Plumes of billowing gray smoke were observed pouring from the structure as emergency crews responded to the scene. University police and local fire officials confirmed that all individuals present in the building were accounted for and no injuries were reported.
The affected structure was more than 80 years old. Because of the size and intensity of the blaze, the incident was classified as a two-alarm fire, requiring additional resources to bring the flames under control.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by local authorities.