Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to a fire at a shop with flats above on Lewisham Road in Lewisham.
Half of the first floor and the whole of the second floor of a flat above a shop was destroyed by fire. There were no reports of any injuries and the flat affected by fire is currently unoccupied. Residents from adjoining properties were evacuated as a precaution.
Station Commander Chris Davidson is at the scene: he said: "We used one of our 64 metre turntable ladders (- tallest in Europe) and our 32 metre turntable ladder, to get water onto the building from the outside.
"Crews remained on scene damping down throughout the morning."
The Brigade was called at 0403 and the fire was under control by 0640. Crews from Greenwich, Lewisham, Deptford, New Cross, Old Kent Road, East Greenwich, Peckham and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.