ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – A lightning strike sparked a devastating fire at the USF College of Marine Science Lab last month, destroying decades of critical research and tens of millions of dollars in equipment in St. Petersburg.Â
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More than 150 researchers, staff and students are now scrambling to salvage years worth of work and find temporary laboratory space.
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USF St. Pete facility damaged
What we know:
A lightning strike caused a fire at the marine science lab last month, destroying decades of research and tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment. Professor Steven Murawski said the building had a wooden roof, which allowed the flames to spread quickly.
Most of the water used to battle the flames was salt water, which ruined almost all the equipment inside, including advanced sonar data vehicles used for mapping. Murawski managed to salvage most of his personal research, which is now being kept in cold storage and trailers in the parking lot.Â
Other scientists have had to return to the field to collect new samples. Some of those samples came from as far away as Antarctica and cannot be easily replicated.
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Researchers displaced after fire
What they’re saying:
More than 150 students, staff and researchers worked out of the building and have been forced to relocate their programs.
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“Buildings like NOAA,” Murawski said. “NOAA is going to accommodate me and my students and others. The St. Petersburg Innovation District has a building called The Hub, and the people at The Hub have taken some of our people as well.”
“Our real roadblock now is getting back to getting the instruments we need in order to analyze those samples,” Murawski said. “And it’s pretty critical, because a lot of these samples are being collected on relatively large grants by the federal government.”
If the building has to be rebuilt, Murawski said it will likely take years before researchers can safely work inside the facility again.
USF facility damage assessment
What we don’t know:
The university is waiting to hear from its insurance company to determine if the building is salvageable or if it will have to be torn down. Officials have not yet confirmed when they will learn whether the building must be demolished.
St. Petersburg community support
What’s next:
The local community has stepped in to help the university during the crisis. Professors said community members raised over half a million dollars to assist the college with its long-term recovery efforts.
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