Firefighters are issuing a cooking safety warning following a fire on Ratcliffe Cross Street in Limehouse.
A small part of a ground floor flat was damaged by fire in a block of flats. Two men left the property and a further 40 residents also self evacuated before the Brigade arrived.
The fire is believed to have been caused by cooking.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If a fire happens when cooking, get out, stay out, close the door behind you and call 999.
“Smoke alarms give the earliest possible warning when a fire starts and we would urge everyone to make sure they have one fitted in every room where a fire can start except kitchens or bathrooms where heat alarms are more appropriate.”
Firefighters' tips for safer cooking:
- Don’t leave cooking unattended on the hob or grill – if you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the heat.
- Not feeling 100%? Order a takeaway – if you're very tired, have been drinking alcohol or are taking medication that might make you drowsy, it's safer not to risk it.
- Try to keep the oven, hob, cooker hood, extractor fan and grill clean – built up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire.
- Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you’ve finished cooking.
The Brigade was called at 1229 and the fire was under control by 1317. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Poplar, Shadwell, Millwall and Shoreditch fire stations attended the scene.