Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters tackled a flat fire on Barking Road in Canning Town.
A three-roomed flat on the first floor of the building above a shop was destroyed by fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led five adults and three children to safety from an adjacent flat via an external staircase. They were all treated on scene for smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews.
The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took more than 35 calls to the fire and used 999Eye to live stream the blaze from a smart phone to screens in the Control Room, allowing for greater visibility of the incident.
When a 999 call is received by the Brigade, the caller may be asked if they would like to provide a live video stream of the scene using their smartphone. The Control Officer will send a text message with a secure, one-time-use link that opens a live stream direct from the phone to the Control Room. 999Eye provides better situational awareness and allows us to offer the best advice based on live footage.
Barking Road was closed between Ordnance Road and Morgan Street in both directions whilst crews worked to make the scene safe.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by unattended cooking setting fire to nearby materials.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "It’s really important that you don’t leave cooking unattended and never leave fabrics, such as tea towels, near to a cooker or a hob, because they can catch alight very easily and flames can spread quickly.
“Please also take care with loose clothing that can easily catch fire. Don’t lean over the hob when cooking and roll up sleeves that might hang over the stove."
The Brigade was called at 1752 and the fire was under control by 1840. Fire crews from Plaistow, Millwall, Poplar, East Ham, Stratford and Shadwell fire stations attended the scene.