Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire at a flat above a shop on New Cross Road in New Cross.
Most of a first-floor flat was damaged by fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a woman and two children from the third floor via an internal staircase. They were all taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
One of the Brigade’s 32-metre turntable ladders was used at the scene as an observation platform, providing the Incident Commander with a greater situational awareness of the incident.
The fire is being treated as accidental and is believed to have been caused by the failure of lithium-ion batteries.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Lithium batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used, so it’s important to always use the correct charger for the product and buy an official one from a reputable seller.
"You should unplug your charger when you have finished using it and we would advise not to leave it unattended or charging while people are asleep.
“Batteries can present a fire risk if they’re over-charged, short circuited, submerged in water or damaged, so it’s really important to protect them against being damaged too.
“Try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried as this can increase the chance of damage to cells."
The Brigade’s Control Officers took the first of 10 calls to the fire at 0826 and mobilised crews from Greenwich, New Cross, Deptford and Peckham fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 0940.