Three fire engines and around 20 firefighters were called to a fire at a house on Sherwood Gardens in Barking.
Half of a shower room on the ground floor was damaged by the fire, which was out when firefighters arrived. A woman and a man were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation. Firefighters rescued another woman from the ground floor but sadly she later died in hospital.
The Brigade was called at 0911 and the incident was over for firefighters by 1024. Fire crews from Barking and Ilford fire stations attended the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.