Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire at a restaurant with flats above on Wick Road in Hackney.
An area of rubbish on a first-floor flat roof was destroyed by fire. Three adult men and one adult woman were led to safety by firefighters. There are no reports of any injuries.
The Brigade was called at 1456 and the fire was under control by 1656. Crews from Homerton, Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stratford fire stations attended the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and Metropolitan Police Service.