Waterford — A fire early Tuesday morning has left one man dead.

Waterford police Lt. Timothy Silva said first responders were dispatched to 5 Jordan Terrace at 4:37 a.m. and the sole person inside the single-family home was pronounced dead on scene.

The Waterford Fire Marshal's office and the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit are working to determine the origin and cause of the fire, Silva said. Waterford firefighters responded, with assistance from New London firefighters and the Naval Submarine base.

Neighbor Holly Jones said her husband called the fire in. He leaves home early, around 4:30 a.m., to go to work at Electric Boat, so he saw and reported the fire. Jones said she and her husband knew the victim, an elderly man named William Reed, personally, and that his daughter lives on the street as well.

"The whole house was engulfed," Jones said. "I was sleeping when the trucks and ambulances pulled up, and my dogs started barking."

Most of the residents on the street were at their windows or outside this morning looking at the fire, Jones said.

Neighbors Mark Lucas and Donna Gilbertie said they saw heavy black smoke billowing from the home.

"We saw the flashing lights and we knew things were not normal," Lucas said.

The fire was under control in 15 to 20 minutes, according to Bruce Miller, Waterford's director of fire services.

Firefighters who arrived on the scene had trouble entering the home because fire was coming down the hallway, Miller said. When they found the victim, he was already deceased on the first floor. Police have not yet officially released his identity.

Erica Moser contributed to this report.