Firefighters have issued a reminder of their smoking safety advice following a fire on Wellington Road in Forest Gate.
A small part of the decking on the flat roof of a three storey residential building was damaged by the fire. 20 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. Four people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and was caused by the unsafe disposal of smoking materials.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If you're a smoker, it’s absolutely vital you ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it. If you don’t, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home but also cost you your life.
"With the dry weather conditions that London has been seeing, any fire can quickly get out of control. It only takes a few sparks to ignite dry grass, shrubs, or litter and many grass and land fires are caused by discarded cigarettes.
“Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows and if you are smoking on your balcony, have an ashtray to hand, and don’t flick your ashes off the balcony.”
Control Officers took the first of 10 calls at 1205 and mobilised four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Plaistow, Poplar, Ilford and Woodford fire stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 1247.