USF Marine Science Laboratory in St. Petersburg believed to be a 'total loss' after Saturday fire
By Rick Mayer, Mark Schreiner
May 2, 2026 at 8:32 PM EDT
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. USF officials said initial information indicates the building "may be a total loss."
The University of South Florida Marine Science Laboratory in St. Petersburg was gutted by a two-alarm blaze that billowed gray smoke visible for miles across Tampa Bay on Saturday evening.
No injuries were reported, and a primary search by firefighters determined no one was inside the two-story building. St. Petersburg Fire District Chief Michael Lewis said a roster check accounted for all employees.
In a message to the USF community Sunday morning, President Moez Limayem said initial information indicated the 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," he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Observers and fire officials said a severe lightning storm was passing near the USF St. Petersburg campus around the time the fire was called in.
Lewis said the fire was called in by a “civilian across the marina who saw the smoke and flames.”
“Basically, the entire attic was involved,” Lewis told reporters at a press conference Saturday night.
He added “the cost is unknown right now.”
The fire was confined to the laboratory, which is part of the USF College of Marine Science on a peninsula jutting into Bayboro Harbor south of campus. Other buildings — including the adjacent oceanographic research facilities — were unaffected, Lewis said.
(701x388, AR: 1.806701030927835)
“We have confirmed through air monitoring that there was no concern for any of the USF campus,” he said.
Limayem echoed that message Sunday morning.
"There is no ongoing public safety threat and no hazardous materials were released, but please continue to avoid this part of campus and follow all emergency guidance in the nearby area," he said.
USF President Moez Limayem updated the university community Sunday, May 3, 2026, following a May 2 fire that may have left the Marine Science Laboratory building as "a total loss." (1545x1999, AR: 0.7728864432216108)
More than 60 units and 200 firefighters were dispatched to the building, at 140 Seventh Ave. S. According to the Pinellas County Safety and Emergency Services website, they were deployed at 5:39 p.m.
They included hazardous materials units, as well as crews from
Firefighters worked on the scene through early Sunday.
According to the USFSP website, the Marine Science Laboratory is the primary research building for the College of Marine Science.
It housed advanced chemistry, biology and oceanography labs, marine research systems, and high-end scientific equipment used to study everything from Tampa Bay water quality to global climate change.
A lab inventory listed a variety of chemicals inside the structure.
“This was a science class,” Lewis explained.
The building also contained compressed gas cylinders, he said.
“We were able to keep the fire away from most of those, and then we removed any that we were able to access from the exterior of the building.”
Officials expect that there will be an extensive cleanup process.
“Our hazmat team is going to go in in their suits to make sure there’s no leaking chemicals and no concern for any of our responders on scene or civilians once they have access to the building,” he said.
Clean-up crews were seen donning protective gear at the site Sunday morning.
USF Marine Science Laboratory Fire 3
According to the USF website, the building dates to around 1940, when it used as a dormitory for the United States Merchant Marines. The building became part of the USF Marine Science research campus during expansions in the 1990s and 2000s.
"(The Marine Science Laboratory) 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," Limayem said.
"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."
He indicated no other buildings were damaged, and classes and normal business operations on the St. Pete campus have resumed, except for those in the laboratory building and the other facilities on Peninsula Drive, including the Knight Oceanographic Research Center and the Plant Operations/Receiving facility.
Limayem said they're trying to find alternative spaces for students and staff who used the building. In addition, classes and exams scheduled for the area will be relocated.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and mayoral candidate Charlie Crist both posted messages of thanks Sunday morning.
"Thank you to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, St. Petersburg Police, and surrounding municipalities for assisting with the USF Marine Science Lab fire last night. Grateful to all of our first responders who kept our community safe in the wake of this significant threat," Welch said. "I’ve spoken to USF President Moez Limayem and USFSP Regional Chancellor Thomas Smith. The City of St. Petersburg stands with our USF family. We will work with our community to rebuild better than before."
"As the morning breaks, and the full devastation of the fire at USF St. Pete is understood, we should be grateful no one was hurt while recognizing the scope of the damage. Thank you to the brave firefighters who combatted this blaze," Crist wrote.
USF Marine Science Laboratory Fire 2
No injuries were reported, and a primary search by firefighters determined no one was inside the two-story building. St. Petersburg Fire District Chief Michael Lewis said a roster check accounted for all employees.
In a message to the USF community Sunday morning, President Moez Limayem said initial information indicated the 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," he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Observers and fire officials said a severe lightning storm was passing near the USF St. Petersburg campus around the time the fire was called in.
Lewis said the fire was called in by a “civilian across the marina who saw the smoke and flames.”
“Basically, the entire attic was involved,” Lewis told reporters at a press conference Saturday night.
He added “the cost is unknown right now.”
The fire was confined to the laboratory, which is part of the USF College of Marine Science on a peninsula jutting into Bayboro Harbor south of campus. Other buildings — including the adjacent oceanographic research facilities — were unaffected, Lewis said.
(701x388, AR: 1.806701030927835)
“We have confirmed through air monitoring that there was no concern for any of the USF campus,” he said.
Limayem echoed that message Sunday morning.
"There is no ongoing public safety threat and no hazardous materials were released, but please continue to avoid this part of campus and follow all emergency guidance in the nearby area," he said.
USF President Moez Limayem updated the university community Sunday, May 3, 2026, following a May 2 fire that may have left the Marine Science Laboratory building as "a total loss." (1545x1999, AR: 0.7728864432216108)
More than 60 units and 200 firefighters were dispatched to the building, at 140 Seventh Ave. S. According to the Pinellas County Safety and Emergency Services website, they were deployed at 5:39 p.m.
They included hazardous materials units, as well as crews from
Firefighters worked on the scene through early Sunday.
According to the USFSP website, the Marine Science Laboratory is the primary research building for the College of Marine Science.
It housed advanced chemistry, biology and oceanography labs, marine research systems, and high-end scientific equipment used to study everything from Tampa Bay water quality to global climate change.
A lab inventory listed a variety of chemicals inside the structure.
“This was a science class,” Lewis explained.
The building also contained compressed gas cylinders, he said.
“We were able to keep the fire away from most of those, and then we removed any that we were able to access from the exterior of the building.”
Officials expect that there will be an extensive cleanup process.
“Our hazmat team is going to go in in their suits to make sure there’s no leaking chemicals and no concern for any of our responders on scene or civilians once they have access to the building,” he said.
Clean-up crews were seen donning protective gear at the site Sunday morning.
USF Marine Science Laboratory Fire 3
According to the USF website, the building dates to around 1940, when it used as a dormitory for the United States Merchant Marines. The building became part of the USF Marine Science research campus during expansions in the 1990s and 2000s.
"(The Marine Science Laboratory) 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," Limayem said.
"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."
He indicated no other buildings were damaged, and classes and normal business operations on the St. Pete campus have resumed, except for those in the laboratory building and the other facilities on Peninsula Drive, including the Knight Oceanographic Research Center and the Plant Operations/Receiving facility.
Limayem said they're trying to find alternative spaces for students and staff who used the building. In addition, classes and exams scheduled for the area will be relocated.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and mayoral candidate Charlie Crist both posted messages of thanks Sunday morning.
"Thank you to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, St. Petersburg Police, and surrounding municipalities for assisting with the USF Marine Science Lab fire last night. Grateful to all of our first responders who kept our community safe in the wake of this significant threat," Welch said. "I’ve spoken to USF President Moez Limayem and USFSP Regional Chancellor Thomas Smith. The City of St. Petersburg stands with our USF family. We will work with our community to rebuild better than before."
"As the morning breaks, and the full devastation of the fire at USF St. Pete is understood, we should be grateful no one was hurt while recognizing the scope of the damage. Thank you to the brave firefighters who combatted this blaze," Crist wrote.
USF Marine Science Laboratory Fire 2