Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled a fire which affected a row of terraced houses on Tudor Drive in Morden.
Half of the dormer roof and part of the first floor of a house were alight. Half of the first floor of a neighbouring property and the ground floor of another house were also alight. One man left the building before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.
Firefighters cooled two gas cylinders to an ambient temperature and removed them as a precaution as some gas cylinders can explode when exposed to heat. There was a 25-metre cordon in place whilst crews worked to make the scene safe.
The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took more than 20 calls to the blaze.
Station Commander Jon Singleton, who was at the scene, said:
"One of the Brigade's 32-metre turntable ladders was used as an observation platform and as a water tower to get water on to the building externally.
"Tudor Drive was closed in both directions and we urged people to avoid the area."
The Brigade was called at 1907 and the fire was under control by 2126. Fire crews from New Malden, Sutton, Wimbledon and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by the unsafe disposal of smoking materials, which ignited waste in a bin.