St. Petersburg Fire Rescue crews battled a two-alarm structure fire at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus on Saturday afternoon, May 2, 2026. The blaze broke out at 140 7th Avenue South, sending visible plumes of black smoke over the waterfront area.
A spokesperson for the University of South Florida confirmed to 10 Tampa Bay News that the fire originated at the school’s Marine Science Labs. The facility, which is a key part of the university’s research infrastructure, is more than 80 years old.
First responders successfully cleared the area immediately following the outbreak. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue reported that the building was safely evacuated, and there have been no reports of injuries among students, staff, or emergency personnel at this time.
The incident drew a significant response from local fire services to prevent the flames from spreading to adjacent campus structures. While the fire was identified as a two-alarm incident, officials have not yet determined the specific cause of the ignition.
University officials and fire investigators remained on the scene throughout Saturday evening. The incident is currently categorized as active as authorities work to assess the extent of the damage to the historic laboratory building and its equipment.