Sometimes when a structure fire has a big head start, it develops a mind if its own. Even well-trained and experienced firefighters using state-of the art equipment and apparatus aren’t going to change its mind.

Such was the case Feb. 20, at Waldheim Park in Salisbury Township.

The community is a church-affiliated seasonal camp tightly packed with small cottages along narrow lanes on the northern slope of South Mountain, behind a shopping center along East Emmaus Avenue, near South Mountain Middle School.

When Eastern Salisbury Fire Department Chief Ian Dodson arrived shortly after the 2:04 p.m. Lehigh County 911 dispatch, he reported a dwelling was fully involved in fire with a wall collapsing. Knowing the century-old park did not have sufficient fire hydrant coverage, Dodson immediately asked the 911 Center to dispatch multiple tankers to the fire location.

To protect arriving mutual aid fire company firefighters on a second alarm, Dodson declared an “exterior attack only.”

Salisbury Township patrol officers were the first responders at the fire. According to patrol officer Bryan Losagio, “When we arrived on scene the house was already fully engulfed, but the flames appeared to be contained inside. Within three minutes or so the flames began burning from the inside out.

“A short time after that the front wall of the home collapsed and the flames just took over. Because the home was in close proximity to other homes, crews were showering water onto the neighboring homes to prevent the fire from spreading. One home, across the narrow path, was also damaged.”

Police Chief Donald Sabo, who was on site, said the very narrow roads where the cottages are situated, and a limited water supply compounded the difficulty of the firefighters’ efforts.

Eastern Salisbury Fire Department was assisted by firefighters from Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company which was dispatched on the first alarm.

Assistance from neighboring mutual aid fire departments included crews from Allentown, Emmaus, Lower Saucon Township, South Whitehall Township and Lower Milford Township, Sabo said.

The fire is under investigation by the Salisbury Township Police Department’s office of the fire marshal.