Fire Breaks Out at University of South Florida Marine Science Lab

A two-alarm fire broke out Saturday evening at the Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building on the University of South Florida’s (USF) St. Petersburg campus, prompting a full evacuation of the more than 80-year-old building, authorities said.

Plumes of billowing gray smoke poured from the structure as crews from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, the USF Police Department and other agencies responded to the scene.

No injuries have been reported, the university and St. Pete Fire Rescue confirmed.

Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.

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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 6:42 PM.