Fire breaks out in lab building on University of South Florida campus

03/05/2026

First responders work to extinguish a fire at the University of South Florida campus on May 2, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, May 3, (AP): A fire broke out Saturday evening at a lab building on the University of South Florida campus in St. Petersburg, prompting an evacuation, authorities said.

The fire sent plumes of billowing gray smoke from the marine science laboratory building. No injuries had been reported, university police and the local fire department said. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. University police said more information would be released as it became available.