Smoking materials blamed in Vernon Hills townhouse fire that injured one person

Unextinguished smoking materials is the cause of an early morning fire at a four-unit Vernon Hills townhouse building that injured one person, authorities said Monday.

Countryside Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Brian Garrity said firefighters were called to the 100 block of Brookwood Drive at 5:10 a.m. by a neighbor who saw smoke coming from a nearby unit.

Garrity said firefighters entered the home minutes later and rescued the man inside, who was suffering from minor burns and smoke inhalation.

The victim was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with nonlife threatening injuries, he said.

The fire was contained to the unit where the fire originated, but neighboring units suffered some minor smoke and water damage, Garrity said.

Chief Kevin Wodrich said the fire, caused by unextinguished smoking materials, caused $80,000 in damage to the townhouse.

The main unit was left uninhabitable, Wodrich said, but residents were allowed back into neighboring units by Monday afternoon.

Countryside Fire was assisted by firefighters from Libertyville, Mundelein, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods and Knollwood.