An 88-year-old man died in a house fire in Oakdale early Wednesday, after the blaze prevented firefighters from rescuing him, officials said.

Police identified the sole occupant of the Waterford Road home as Stephan Jendricks, who they said was pronounced dead at the scene.

"When we first showed up there was heavy fire showing through the front of the house, the window and going through the roof," said Patrick D'Onofrio, chief of the West Sayville Fire Department.

Ryan Huguenin, second assistant chief of the West Sayville Fire Department, said, "Unfortunately, the house was fully involved when we got here." Firefighters entered through the back of the house but couldn't get to the front, to the "fire load," and "had to bail out pretty quickly through the back," he said.

Police said th

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