Emergency services evacuated a primary school and homes after a shed fire spread to engulf a house.
The fire, which is being treated by police as suspected arson, started in a shed before moving to the roof of a nearby house on Hackbridge Road near the junction with Link Road in Hackbridge.
Fire crews were called out just after 10.30am to tackle the blaze, while police offered support.
Hackbridge Road and Nightingale Road were closed and children evacuated from Hackbridge Primary School, which teaches close to 600 pupils.
Police have also evacuated residents from homes either side of the one ablaze.
A witness, who asked not to be identified, said: “I was literally sat on a bench and we saw this smoke coming out.
"There was lots of smoke. It was coming from a house, a terraced house. Dark, black, grey smoke. Everyone was already out. There were quite a lot of people there.”
The blaze has now been extinguished, the roads reopened, and children have returned to their classes.
Staff at the school have advised that parents can collect their child at the normal time.
No occupants were in the house, and there have been no reported injuries.
Anyone with information about the fire should call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6334.
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