Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to a fire at a car workshop on Whalebone Lane North in Romford.
Two cars were destroyed in a single storey workshop. Firefighters removed cylinders from a shop at the rear of the workshop. They were removed as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
Sub Officer Craig Downs was at the scene, he said: "On arrival there were flames and heavy smoke coming from the workshop. It was incredibly hot and we could see an orange glow inside the building.
"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus worked incredibly hard to extinguish the fire quickly and successfully prevented the fire spreading to a nearby bungalow and adjacent shops.
"There were no smoke alarms in the property. This incident shows just how important it is to have working smoke alarms fitted.
“Smoke alarms give the earliest possible warning when a fire starts and we would urge everyone to make sure they have one fitted in every room where a fire can start."
The Brigade was called at 2149 and the incident was over by 2337. Fire crews from Dagenham, Romford, Hainault and Ilford fire stations were at the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.