Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to a flat fire on Herbrand Street in Bloomsbury.
Firefighters tackled a fire on the first floor of a block of flats. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used fire escape hoods on two men who they led to safety via an internal staircase.
Fire escape hoods provide members of the public with up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by conscious or unconscious people. If more than 15 minutes protection is required then another hood can be given to each wearer. They do not provide oxygen but temporarily filter toxic smoke to make breathing easier.
The Brigade was called at 0958 and the fire was under control by 1037. Fire crews from Millwall, Soho, Holloway, Shoreditch and Islington fire stations were at the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.