An update on the structure fire in the MSL building on the USF St ...
An update from President Moez Limayem on the structure fire in the MSL building on our USF St. Petersburg campus.
www.usf.eduHere’s the latest I can share based on recent reporting:
-
A major fire occurred at USF St. Petersburg’s Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building. The blaze prompted a large emergency response, with evacuations of the facility and surrounding areas, and officials have indicated there were no injuries reported immediately after the incident. The building was described as a total loss or near-total loss in several updates. Please note ongoing investigations into the cause, with lightning reported in the area at the time as a possible factor in some updates. These developments were reported across multiple outlets in the first week of May 2026.[2][3][4]
-
Authorities and USF leadership advised the campus community to avoid the affected area while responders worked, and classes or access to adjacent facilities on that part of campus were temporarily impacted. Updates from USF indicated that there was no ongoing public safety threat after the initial fire, though the situation remained under assessment.[4]
-
Reactions from officials and media emphasized that the incident was contained and did not involve hazardous material releases, but the Marine Science Laboratory area remained closed as salvage and assessment work proceeded. Recovery and safety messaging continued through early May, with emphasis on resuming normal operations where possible.[9][4]
If you’d like, I can fetch the latest statements from USF’s official news site or reputable local outlets for the most current status and any follow-up actions (eg, salving efforts, campus access, or class rescheduling). I can also summarize a timeline or pull quotes from official updates. Would you like me to do that?