Three people have been displaced after a fire caused considerable damage to their apartment on Water Street in downtown St. John’s.

The fire, which broke out at about 7:30, was mostly confined to a second-storey unit of an older duplex containing four apartments. The St. John’s Regional Fire Department quickly contained the blaze but an apartment below on the ground level was damaged by smoke and water.

Nobody was home at the time so there were no injuries.

The Canadian Red Cross is providing emergency lodging, food and clothing for two men from the damaged apartment.