Firefighters rescued 11 people after a fire at a flat on Beckenham Road in Beckenham.
A three roomed flat on the first floor of the three-storey building was destroyed by the fire.
Crews wearing breathing apparatus rescued four women and two men from the ground and first floors. Another man was led to safety by crews wearing breathing apparatus via an internal staircase from the second floor. Crews fitted him with a fire escape hood.
A further four men were rescued via a ladder from the second floor.
Fire escape hoods provide members of the public with up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by conscious or unconscious people. If more than 15 minutes protection is required then another hood can be given to each wearer. They do not provide oxygen but temporarily filter toxic smoke to make breathing easier.
Two men were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews suffering smoke inhalation and another man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Station Manager Nathan Hobson, who was at the scene, said: “When firefighters arrived, it was a fully developed fire and crews worked hard to bring it under control.
“Crews carried out multiple rescues from different parts of the building.”
The Brigade was called at 0130 and the fire was under control by 0344. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Beckenham, Woodside, Bromley and West Norwood fire stations attended.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.