Twenty-five fire engines and around 150 firefighters responded to a fire on Nursery Lane in Forest Gate.
Crews tackled a fire in a mixed use block of two floors containing shops, workshops and flats. The ground and first floors of the building were alight. Around 100 people were evacuated from surrounding properties.
Residents in the area were advised to close all windows and doors due to the large amount of smoke produced by the fire. Surrounding roads are expected to be extremely busy through the evening as our crews remain on scene.
Control Officers took four calls about the fire, with the first received at 1605. The fire was under control by 2017. Crews from Stratford Plaistow, East Ham and surrounding fire stations attended.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.