Clogged dryer vent leads to Vernon Hills fire

No one was hurt, but a home was left uninhabitable when an overstuffed vent at the end of a clothes dryer caused a fire on Monday in Vernon Hills.

The fire began about 2:45 p.m. on the 200 block of Autumn Lane, according to a report from Countryside Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Tony DeRose. When firefighters arrived and saw flames spreading throughout the laundry room, they radioed for help from Libertyville, Lincolnshire and Mundelein.

It was too late, though: DeRose's news release labeled the house "uninhabitable" and ended with a caution for homeowners.

"Clean your dryer vents annually," he wrote.