Two families displaced in Vernon Hills fire

(VERNON HILLS) Two families were forced out of their north suburban homes Sunday after a fire broke out at a Vernon Hills townhome.

Firefighters responded about 8:30 p.m. to a fire in the basement of a two-story townhome in the 800 block of Faulkner Place in Vernon Hills, according to a statement from the Countryside Fire Protection District.

The fire also damaged the townhome’s adjoining unit, which shared a common wall, officials said.

Both homes were rendered uninhabitable, and the American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist two families with housing, officials said.

Damage from the fire is estimated at about $175,000, officials said. The cause and origin of the blaze remain under investigation.