Eight fire engines and around 58 firefighters and officers were called to a fire in an office building under refurbishment on Brick Lane E1 this afternoon.
The fire in the four storey building left the first second and third floors, as well as part of the roof and the staircase between the first and third floors badly damaged. Three people left the building before the Brigade arrived.
Station Manager Clive Robinson who was at the scene said: "The fire affected three floors and part of the building's roof and our crews worked extremely hard to get it under control and to stop the fire from spreading to any adjoining properties."
The Brigade was called at 1423 and the fire was under control by 1701. Crews from Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, Dowgate, Lambeth, Homerton, Peckham and Old Kent Road fire stations attended the incident. An aerial ladder platform and turntable ladder were also in use at the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.