Smoke poured out of the townhouse units that caught on fire Thursday morning. (Roxanna Woloshyn/CBC)

Several families were forced from townhouses in Regina after fire broke out early Thursday morning.

It happened just after 5 a.m. CST at 844 Gladmer Park, south of the downtown.

A family of six from Afghanistan, including five young children and their mother, escaped from a townhouse fire in Regina on Thursday morning. (Roxanna Woloshyn/CBC)

The fire severely damaged two connected housing units. For more than an hour, fire crews poured water into the structure to get the blaze under control and try to prevent it from spreading to the next two units.

Police have confirmed everybody got out safely.

A family of six — five children under 12 and their mother — lived in one of the units and was at home when the fire broke out. The family, which is originally from Afghanistan, had recently moved to Canada from Pakistan, CBC News was told.

Family members got out of their burning home with just the clothes on their backs. For the moment, they're staying at a neighbour's house.

At least three other people in the other units also managed to flee to safety. One man was able to rescue his pet cat.

Fire officials said the four homes in the townhouse complex are damaged to the point of being unlivable.

There's no word yet on the cause.