USF Marine Laboratory devastated by two-alarm blaze
Massive fire strikes USF St. Pete Marine Lab
A two-alarm fire erupted on the USF St. Petersburg campus this afternoon. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky brings us the story.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The University of South Florida St. Petersburg Marine Science Laboratory caught fire Saturday evening. The building is likely a total loss, according to St. Petersburg Fire District Chief Michael Lewis.
What we know:
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue said it will be a long process to clear the scene because the building houses chemicals and other hazardous materials.
Lewis said firefighters will stay on scene through Saturday night to ensure no remaining hot spots interact with the dangerous materials.
What they're saying:
"We are just mopping up some hotspots. We are going through and confirming all of the hazardous materials that were on scene," Lewis said. "This is going to be a very extensive process to go through, confirm that there is no active fire impinging upon any of the hazardous materials."
Lewis said the wind pushed the plume of smoke over the water. He added that there is no danger to the community, but officials are continuing to monitor air quality.
USF's Statement on MSL Building Fire
USF President Moez Limayem released a statement on Sunday that said in part:
"While our full assessment is ongoing, and will only be completed once it is safe to do so, initial information indicates the MSL building may be a total loss. Our recovery teams are working with the College of Marine Science to prioritize key research material and equipment for salvage assessment when the building is cleared.
This is unfortunate as MSL has a rich history and longtime connection to St. Petersburg's maritime community. 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.
Rest assured, we will rebuild stronger than ever, and my commitment is to do everything we can to move quickly to ensure we have the best possible facilities to support our world-class students, faculty and staff."
Limayem said USF is working to relocate any class or exams that were scheduled to be in that area, and the "Sailebration" event in St. Pete to celebrate graduating students will go on as scheduled. Limayem thanked fire rescue, the USF Police Department and everyone who was providing assistance.
"The last few weeks have tested our resilience, but our USF community is strong, we protect one another, and we will get through this together," Limayem said. "Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other."
Courtesy: University of South Florida
The backstory:
The fire was initially reported by a person outside the building who saw flames coming from the structure. A witness sent FOX 13 a video showing flames erupting from the marina side of the building.
The fire department confirmed no one was injured and everyone is accounted for following multiple searches.
Why you should care:
Ashley Briscoe witnessed the chaos as she was exiting a neighboring building.
"I was right next to the building. They were even saying that the building could fall over," Briscoe said. "As we're walking out, they're like, 'My gosh, hurry up, the building can possibly topple over.' That's very scary."
Only the Marine Science Lab was affected by the fire. Officials say the Ocean Research Lab was not damaged, and students should report to class Monday.
Around 200 firefighters and dozens of units from across the Tampa Bay area responded to the blaze.
What we don't know:
The cause of the fire is currently unknown. St. Pete Fire Rescue said there was lightning reported in the area around the time the fire started, but the cause remains under investigation.
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews done by Fox 13's Danielle Zulkosky and a release from USF.