Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to a fire at a car repair workshop on New Road in Rainham.
The Brigade's 999 control room received 20 calls to the fire.
Half of the garage was damaged by the blaze and there were no reports of any injuries. There were a number of gas cylinders inside the garage. These were removed and cooled to an ambient temperature as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
There was no smoke alarm fitted in the property.
Having a fire detection system (smoke and heat alarms) installed provides an early warning and can help saves lives by giving time to escape.
A spokesperson for the Brigade said: “Smoke alarms will give the earliest possible warning if a fire breaks out in your home or business. It is important to have smoke alarms fitted on every floor and test them regularly.”
The Brigade was called at 0017 and the fire was under control by 0219. Fire crews from Harold Hill, Dagenham, Barking and Ilford fire Stations attended the incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police.