Five people were rescued from a smoke-filled house in East Ham this afternoon.
Ten firefighters wearing breathing apparatus found the group on the first floor where the fire had broken out.
As crews tackled the blaze, colleagues escorted the four men and a woman to safety.
A first-floor bedroom of the terraced house in Holme Road was damaged in the fire, which started in a mattress at about 2.15pm. It was under control within 30 minutes.
Paramedics treated the group for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Crews from Barking and Bow fire stations were alerted to the incident.
Shane Cook, watch manager at Barking fire station, said it appeared the fire was started accidentally.
He said: “The mattress in the bedroom caught alight.
“We managed to put it out but 10 per cent of the bedroom was damaged by the fire.”
The cause is now under investigation.
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