A massive 2-alarm fire engulfed the science lab at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Saturday night, risking the loss of decades of research.
The colossal inferno produced pillars of black smoke billowing out of the roof of the Marine Science Lab, which were visible for miles away, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
“Urgent Alert. Fire reported in MSL, Marine Science Lab. Evacuate building. Avoid area. Emergency personnel responding,” an alert sent at at 5:57 p.m by the college said.
Over 50 units of first responders arrived at the scene to battle the blaze, and multiple firetrucks were seen at the site.
Firefighters were seen combating the flames as the building’s roof crumpled, with debris peeling off the side.
Interim Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at USF St. Petersburg Frank Biafora told the outlet that an electrical storm could have been the cause of the inferno.
“We have faculty members who have research labs there. This looks like total devastation, We’ve all been checking in on each other, ” Biafora said.
The building was safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported, officials said.
According to Biafora, the fire could have been much worse.
“We are actually quite lucky that the wind is taking this to the east of us because we have residence halls and a whole lot of students on this campus,” he said.
USF Sailing coach Allison Jolly said that the building’s age could have made it vulnerable to catching fire, the laboratory was built 80 years ago, the Daily Mail reported.
“[The lab] probably lacked some of the modern fire prevention things… It’s one thing to have equipment ruined, but to have years of research go up in flames is so sad,” she said.
