Rekindled flames caused firefighters to go back to a popular Valley Stream deli that was gutted by fire.

The Crown Deli on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream first caught fire Sunday morning.

Ernest Bohringer, a Port Authority officer and Malverne Fire Department deputy chief, got the call while heading home from John F. Kennedy International Airport. He and several Nassau police officers and a Valley Stream fire chief broke down a locked door to the deli, rescuing a man stuck inside. Bohringer says the man was unconscious on the floor and only had minutes, maybe seconds, to live. He wound up surviving.

MORE: Officials: 7 treated for smoke inhalation in Valley Stream deli fire

Firefighters returned to the deli early Monday morning after they say smoldering debris reignited.

Police say the officers involved in the rescue are OK and that the fire victim is listed in stable condition.

The fire also damaged a shoe and jewelry repair shop. There is still no word on what initially caused the blaze.