Five women and three children have been treated for smoke inhalation following a fire.
Four fire engines and 25 firefighters tackled the flames at a flat on the first floor of the 11 storey Pinnacle building in High Road, Chadwell Heath.
The eight people treated had fled the building before the fire brigade got there.
Pictures show a child being carried out of the building and a man on a balcony above the flat where the fire broke out.
Witness Brian Chenier, who works at the limbless veterans charity Blesma opposite the Pinnacle, said: "The fire brigade were here very quickly.
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "Part of a three-roomed flat was damaged by the fire.
Fire crews from Dagenham, Wennington and Hainault were called at 10.41am this morning with the blaze under control by 11.39am.