Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters tackled a fire at a block of flats on Polecroft Lane in Lewisham.
Most of a ground floor flat in the four-storey building was damaged by fire. One person was rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus from the ground floor. They were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Thirteen adults and two children were led to safety by crews from the rest of the building. Seven of those 15 people wore fire escape hoods.
Fire escape hoods provide members of the public with up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by conscious or unconscious people.
Station Commander Sam Woodhams said: "Crews worked extremely hard to bring the fire under control and in difficult conditions."
The cause of the fire is believed to be combustible items coming into contact with an electric heater.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The rise in energy costs means there’s a very real risk of heating-related fires. We know that people will turn to alternative ways to keep their families warm overnight without turning on the heating, we just want to make sure that people are staying safe at the same time.
“We know that people may want to use portable heaters to heat just one room. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure these items are safety registered and in good working order. If you’re using these items around children always supervise them carefully and place heaters somewhere where they won’t be accidentally knocked over and away from anything that could catch fire."
The Brigade was called at 0356 and the fire was under control by 0621. Fire crews from Forest Hill, Lewisham, Lee Green and other surrounding fire stations attended the scene.