Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to a fire at a hostel on Guildford Street in Bloomsbury.
A small part of the basement was damaged by fire in the four storey building. Three residents at the hostel were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering from smoke inhalation. A further two residents made their own way to hospital also suffering from smoke inhalation.
The Brigade's fire investigators believe the cause of the fire was accidental and due to a build up of lint in a tumble dryer in the basement of the building.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "We advise all tumble dry users to clean the filter in your dryer after every use. Lint build up in a tumble dryer can be a fire hazard."
The Brigade's 999 Control officers received their first call at 0506 about the fire and fire crews from Soho, Islington, Shoreditch, Euston, Dowgate and Kentish Town. The incident was over by 0625.