200 Firefighters Quell Massive Blaze at USF Laboratory
A two-alarm fire broke out Saturday at a laboratory at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, and video shows green flames coming from the building.
The fire at the university’s marine science lab was reported when a witness saw the flames from outside, according to Fox 13.
About 200 firefighters and multiple units rushed to the scene to put out the blaze, and St. Petersburg Fire District Chief Michael Lewis told the outlet Saturday that crews would monitor the scene overnight.
“We are in the process of cleaning up some hot spots. We are reviewing and confirming all the hazardous materials that were at the scene. It’s going to be a very thorough process to go through, to confirm that there is no active fire encroaching on the hazardous materials,” he explained.
Video sequence showed green flames were coming out of the roof of the building as the alarms went off:
Smoke was seen by witnesses miles from the area, and officials said it would take some time to ensure there was no chemical leak inside the building.
Authorities said no one was injured and everyone was accounted for after the fire was extinguished.
“Only the Marine Science Lab was affected by the fire. The Ocean Research Lab was not damaged and students are expected to report to class Monday,” the Fox article said.
According to WTSP, the building is more than 80 years old.
Aerial video footage watch how big the fire was while the smoke coming from it filled the sky:
A witness identified as Ashley Briscoe said she was leaving a nearby building when she realized what was happening.
“I was right next to the building. They were even saying that the building might fall. As we go out, they tell us, ‘God, hurry up, the building might fall.’ It’s very scary,” she recalls.
Another excerpt showed emergency vehicles arrived on scene as sirens sounded:
Lewis said there was no danger to surrounding areas following the fire and reassured neighbors that they were safe. He also noted that the lab’s roof was completely burned and there was water damage as well.
Authorities are preparing to open an investigation into the causes of the fire.
