A fire at Nansemond Square Apartments has displaced three families with 11 people, including eight children.

The fire occurred in the 100 block of Nancy Drive at an upstairs apartment in building 700. The first call came in at 7:52 p.m., and the blaze was under control at 8:45 p.m., according to city spokeswoman Diana Klink.

The fire originated in the kitchen of the upstairs apartment and displaced a mother and four children from that apartment. The downstairs apartment, where a mother and two children lived, was damaged by smoke and water. Smoke damage in a third apartment will briefly displace a mother and two children.

Those displaced are being assisted by the American Red Cross, Klink said. The residents of five other apartments in the building were allowed to return to their residences.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.