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| Students evacuated from Florida university building as huge blaze breaks out on campus |
| 2026-05-03 |
| [Daily Mail, where America gets its news] A massive fire ripped through a key science facility at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg on Saturday afternoon, sending towering plumes of smoke into the sky and sparking fears of a catastrophic loss to decades of research. Fire crews from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue swarmed 140 7th Avenue South after flames were seen blasting through the roof of the two-story building, identified by officials as the university's Marine Science Laboratory, believed to be more than 80-year-old. Oh, the Huge Manatee! The blaze quickly escalated into a second-alarm emergency, with dozens of units responding as streets were shut down and collapse zones established amid concerns the structure could give way entirely. Students, staff and locals watched in disbelief as the fire tore through what many described as the heart of the campus's scientific work. 'All of our research and chemicals are stored there, including what's required in the chemistry classes,' one student wrote online, highlighting fears about hazardous materials inside the building. Another warned the damage could be irreversible. 'The building on fire doesn't just store paper. It stores entire careers of samples… hurricane research, red tide research, fish and ecology research,' the student said, describing collections gathered over years of fieldwork that 'cannot be replaced.' The scale of the destruction was visible for miles around as thick, dark smoke billowed high above the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Authorities confirmed the building was evacuated and no injuries have been reported. Emergency crews were still on site battling the flames on Saturday evening, with the extent of the damage still unclear. The cause of the fire also remains under investigation. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2026-05-03 09:34 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2026-05-03 02:15 |