Fire prompted an evacuation at a laboratory building on the University of South Florida campus in St. Petersburg on Saturday evening, according to university police and the local fire department. Authorities said the blaze began in the marine science laboratory building and sent plumes of billowing gray smoke from the structure.
Officials reported that no injuries had been reported at the time of the initial response. University police said the investigation into what caused the fire was ongoing.
Fire crews remained engaged as the evacuation carried out on campus, with emergency responders coordinating around the reported smoke coming from the lab building. University police indicated that additional information would be released as it became available.