Firefighters rescued four people from a flat fire on Acre Lane in Brixton.
Part of a ground-floor hallway was damaged by fire. Firefighters rescued a man from the second floor using a nine-metre ladder. Two further men and a woman were rescued via an internal staircase using fire escape hoods. They were all taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
London firefighters were among the first in the UK to carry fire escape hoods when they were introduced in 2018 as part of improvements following the Grenfell Tower fire. The 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. If more than 15 minutes protection is required then another hood can be given to each wearer. They do not provide oxygen but temporarily filter toxic smoke to make breathing easier.
The Brigade was called at 2356 and the fire was under control by 0127. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Brixton, Clapham and Peckham fire stations attended the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service.