Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended a fire at a scrapyard on an industrial estate near Marsh Way in Rainham.
Approximately 70 tonnes of scrap metal was alight. There have been no reports of any injuries.
People in the local area were advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke being produced from the fire.
Station Commander Anthony Perks, who attended the scene, said: "Crews worked quickly and professionally to bring the fire swiftly under control. This included working closely with on-site staff and their machinery to turn over and remove scrap metal to reduce the spread of fire.
"Firefighters remained on scene into the afternoon to fully extinguish the fire and dampen down any hotspots."
A water relay system was implemented as part of firefighting operations. Appliances were stationed between the incident site and the nearest water hydrant, and then connected together by hose. This allowed crews to pump a constant supply of water to the scene of the fire.
The Brigade received the first of eight calls about the fire at 1159 and Control Officers mobilised crews from Wennington, Barking, Romford and surrounding fire stations to the scene. A 32-metre turntable ladder from Greenwich Fire Station was also in attendance. The fire was brought under control by 1258.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.