With firefighters hampered by its remote location, overgrown trees and vegetation and copious yard debris, a windswept fire destroyed an Upper Milford residence in the 7000 block of Chestnut Street early Dec. 18.

One firefighter at the scene remarked the fire “had such a head start the home was ‘doomed’ before we got here.”

Thick black smoke from the fire was visible along Route 100 for miles.

The home was set far back from the roadway, with a narrow lane as the only approach to the dwelling. Tankers from fire stations in southern Lehigh and Berks counties worked in relays dumping water into a temporary reservoir along Chestnut Street, which was then relayed among pumpers along the home’s approach.

Fire police shut down Route 100 for about a mile from Batman Road to Tollgate Road and directed heavily backed-up Route 100 traffic around the fire location.

Old Zionsville Fire Chief Craig Batman was the incident command officer, rotating with Assistant Chief Wayne Shade and Emmaus Fire Chief John Price directing operations on the immediate fire ground.Vera Cruz Chief Joseph Sherman was water supply officer.

First firefighters on the scene fought the fire on the downside of a steep slope at the basement level, but abandoned that position to redirect exterior firefighting efforts on the ground level as windswept winds caused the fire to fully envelope the structure.

Within an hour after the arrival of units on the scene, the home’s roof and walls were collapsing into the interior.

Among Lehigh County units on scene were firefighters from Upper Milford’s Old Zionsville and Vera Cruz stations, Emmaus, Alburtis, Hereford and Seisholtzville. Units were also dispatched from eastern Berks and Montgomery counties.

Macungie Ambulance Corps and its incident support unit set up a rehabilitation tent for firefighters and North Penn Goodwill Service, of Souderton, was called to provide hot food and hot and cold beverages for the 75 to 100 first responders laboring at near-freezing temperatures at the scene.

Several Pennsylvania State Police officers also were on scene.

No firefighters were injured and units were able to clear the scene about 3:30 p.m.