Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters tackled a fire on Ballards Road and a number of surrounding roads in Dagenham.
The blaze involved a wide area of grassland and a range of properties. A range of semi-detached houses on Stratford Close were destroyed. Further semi-detached houses on Boleyn Gardens, Beech Gardens and Farm Close were also damaged or destroyed. An area of parkland of around eight hectares was also damaged and around 25 vehicles were destroyed.
One woman and one man were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews.
Around 135 people were evacuated from surrounding properties. Firefighters cooled six cylinders as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
Borough Commander Paul McClenaghan, who was at the scene, "Crews initially attended a significant grass fire which involved multiple seats of fire and also affected a range of buildings and a workshop.
"As firefighters were tackling that blaze, the fire was creating additional hotspots of fire which affected sheds and further nearby properties.
"A number of properties were evacuated on both sides of the road.
"Our firefighters worked in incredibly hot, difficult conditions. There were cylinders involved in the fire which added to the challenge for crews."
The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took more than 70 calls to the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1415 and the fire was under control by 2240. Fire crews from Whitechapel, Leytonstone, Millwall, Clapham and surrounding fire stations were at the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.