A structure fire on Saturday has left the marine science facility potentially destroyed.
Pinellas County lawmakers will seek funding for the University of South Florida to recover its St. Petersburg campus after a devastating fire at the Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) building.
“The entire Pinellas Delegation is unified in our support to help USF recover and continue to be a leader in marine science research,” Sen. Nick DiCeglie told Florida Politics.
Lawmakers are convening next week for a Special Session to complete the state budget after time ran out during the regular Legislative Session. That means local lawmakers will have an opportunity to add funding specific to restoration related to the fire.
Rep. Lindsay Cross, whose district includes the St. Pete campus, also confirmed that she is having conversations with budget leaders about recovery efforts, though the exact level of need is not yet clear, she said.
A structure fire on Saturday has left the marine science facility potentially destroyed, disrupting research operations and prompting an ongoing damage assessment.
University leaders said emergency crews from St. Pete Fire Rescue and other agencies responded late into the night to bring the blaze under control. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation — though lightning was reported in the area around the time it began.
Early assessments indicate the MSL building may be a total loss — a significant blow to the university’s College of Marine Science and to St. Petersburg’s maritime research community. The facility has long served as a hub for marine science education and research, contributing to USF’s standing as a national leader in the field.
A spokesperson from USF did not respond to a Florida Politics inquiry Tuesday morning about efforts to obtain state funding for restoration, but University President Moez Limayem issued a statement immediately following the blaze indicating recovery efforts are focused on assessing damage and salvaging critical research materials and equipment.
Jesse Mendoza of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
Content shared in partnership with Florida Politics.