Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to a fire at a multi-storey car park at Westfield Shopping Centre on Montfichet Road in Stratford.
The fire occurred in an area on the second floor of car park C. Around 10 vehicles were destroyed by fire, with a further ten vehicles sustaining varying amounts of damage as a result of heat spread.
There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire was producing a significant amount of smoke and people were advised to avoid the area whilst the incident was ongoing.
The shopping centre was evacuated by on-site security staff as a precaution and remained closed for the rest of the day. Westfield is providing updates regarding the status of car park C on its website.
The Brigade received the first of 42 calls at 1605 and Control Officers mobilised crews from Stratford, Poplar, Leytonstone and surrounding fire stations to the scene. A 32-metre turntable ladder also attended to help assist firefighters with extinguishing the fire.
The fire was brought under control by 1754.
The fire is being treated as accidental and believed to have been caused by an undetermined fault within the engine compartment of a diesel-powered car.