A fire that broke out at the University of South Florida’s Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building on the St. Petersburg campus on Saturday has likely destroyed the facility, university officials said Sunday.
USF President Moez Limayem said in a letter to the community no injuries were reported and there is no ongoing public safety threat. St. Pete Fire Rescue and other agencies worked late into Saturday night to extinguish the blaze.
While the cause is still under investigation, fire officials said lightning was reported in the area around the time the fire began. No hazardous materials were released.
Initial assessments indicate the MSL building may be a total loss. USF’s recovery teams are working with the College of Marine Science to identify research material and equipment that can be salvaged once crews declare the site safe to enter.
"This is unfortunate as MSL has a rich history and longtime connection to St. Petersburg's maritime community," said Limayem in the letter. "The building has been home to important marine science education and research, and the work that has been done there has helped USF become a national leader in this field."
Classes and operations on the St. Pete campus have resumed as normal, except for MSL and other facilities on Peninsula Drive, including the Knight Oceanographic Research Center and the Plant Operations/Receiving facility. The university is working to relocate scheduled classes and exams from the MSL building.
USF’s “Sailebration” graduation event will continue as planned.
Limayem thanked St. Pete Fire Rescue, USF Police and other first responders for their efforts, and encouraged students, faculty and staff to make use of wellness resources during what he described as an already challenging time for the university community.
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