Two-Alarm Fire Destroys USF St. Pete Marine Science Lab

A two-alarm fire tore through the Marine Science Laboratory building on the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus Saturday evening, forcing a swift evacuation of the over 80-year-old structure with no injuries reported.

Authorities responded to the blaze at 140 Seventh Avenue South shortly before 6 p.m., after the university issued an urgent alert instructing occupants to evacuate the Marine Science Lab and avoid the area. Thick plumes of gray and black smoke rose high above the two-story facility, visible for miles across the city, as flames broke through the roof. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue dispatched more than 60 units and approximately 200 firefighters to battle the fast-moving inferno, which escalated quickly and prompted street closures for safety.

By around 9 p.m., St. Petersburg Fire Chief Michael Lewis announced that crews had largely extinguished the flames. "The entire roof has burned off," Lewis said, adding that the building was likely a total loss. Officials confirmed the structure had been safely cleared prior to the fire's spread, and university police urged the public to stay away while emergency personnel remained on scene.