ABOUT 20 firefighters fought a blaze at a house in the early hours of this morning.
The fire led to about 40 people being evacuated from nearby properties because of a gas leak at the burning building.
Four fire engines from Ilford and Barking were called to a two-storey house in Grange Road in Ilford at about 4am.
Around half of the ground floor, most of the first floor and a staircase leading from the ground to the first floor was damaged by fire.
A man had escaped the house before fire crews arrived and was treated on scene by the London Ambulance Service.
The blaze took about two hours to put out and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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