A massive two-alarm fire engulfed the Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building on the University of South Florida’s (USF) St. Petersburg campus Saturday evening, sending a plume of smoke that stretched for miles across Tampa Bay and likely destroying the more than 80-year-old structure, authorities said.
More than 60 units and nearly 200 firefighters were summoned to the scene, with St. Petersburg Fire Chief Michael Lewis saying the building is likely “a total loss” with the entire roof burned off.
Newsweek reached out USF and the USF Police Department via email on Saturday for comment.
The Fire
USF students and staff were alerted to the fire when the university sent an emergency text message: “Urgent Alert. Fire reported in MSL, Marine Science Lab. Evacuate building. Avoid area. Emergency personnel responding,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. A bystander was the first to spot the blaze and called it in to authorities, District Chief Michael Lewis told local station WFLA.
Police initially treated the scene as a hazmat situation, asking people to stay away. Flames burst from the roof of the two-story building around 6 p.m., sending a large plume of smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.
At a 9 p.m. news conference, Lewis said the fire was largely out but that the cleanup would be extensive. “The entire roof has burned off,” he said. Crews were expected to continue working through the night and into Sunday morning, with a hazmat team required to enter the building and ensure there are no chemical leaks.
“We have confirmed through air monitoring that there is no hazard to the surrounding areas,” Lewis said, assuring nearby residents that it was safe.
A Likely Total Loss
Lewis said the fire caused extensive damage and water damage to much of the structure. Frank Biafora, interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at USF St. Petersburg, told the Tampa Bay Times he was watching from Poynter Park as smoke billowed across the water.
“We have faculty members who have research labs there. This looks like total devastation,” Biafora said. “We’ve all been checking in on each other.”
Biafora said an electrical storm had passed through the area before the fire and speculated it could have been the cause but said he was waiting to hear more. He noted that residents had been fortunate the wind had pushed smoke away from the residence halls. “We are actually quite lucky that the wind is taking this to the east of us because we have residence halls and a whole lot of students on this campus,” he said. “If it was coming west, it could be really dangerous right now.”
Allison Jolly, the USF Sailing coach for 21 years, watched the flames from the shore. The team usually practices in the afternoon but had a morning practice Saturday by coincidence. “Thank goodness,” she told the outlet, looking at her team’s boats docked near the building. “This looks like a total, total loss. I know they keep labs with marine life in there. It’s one thing to have equipment ruined, but to have years of research go up in flames is so sad.” Jolly said she wondered about how the building’s age might have contributed to the fire. “It was a really old building and probably lacked some of the modern fire prevention things.”
University Response
The University of South Florida confirmed the fire in a statement on social media Saturday night, saying the building had been safely evacuated and would be closed until further notice. “Please continue to avoid the area and follow all emergency guidance,” the statement said. “We will share additional updates as more information becomes available.”
What Happens Next
Fire crews are continuing to mop up hot spots through the night, with hazmat teams required to ensure there are no chemical leaks from the building’s research materials.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Saturday.
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