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Firefighters who failed to spot a blaze despite being called out multiple times could not have saved a man who was later found dead in his flat, a coroner has ruled.

Fire crews were called to the new Packington estate three times to reports of smoke on Saturday, April 2, but the body of John Ball was only discovered three days later after a friend with a spare key helped someone from a housing association gain entry.

Mr Ball, 60, was found slumped on the sofa in his Canalside Square flat after he dropped a roll-up cigarette at his feet, sparking a smouldering fire.

St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Friday that he had consumed enough alcohol to put the average person in a coma, or close to death.

Mr Ball’s body was so badly burned that he had to be identified by his medical records.

Neighbours in one nearby flat thought they heard a fire alarm but did not act.

“The whole place was completely covered in a layer of smoke,” fire investigator Barry Kent told the court. He said there was evidence of some clothing being taken off and put between his feet. “It was most likely careless disposal of a cigarette into the clothing.”

Mr Kent said the cigarette sparked a small fire which “quickly died back down and became a slow, smouldering-type fire”.

“He had not made any attempt to move throughout the fire,” he added.

Mr Ball grew up on nearby Shepperton Street. He loved music and Arsenal in his earlier years but suffered from alcoholism later in life.

Firefighters from Islington’s blue watch were first called to Ann Street, a block of flats adjoining Canalside Square, to a smell of burning just after 2.15am on Saturday morning.

They arrived to find a layer of thin, white smoke in one flat and the lobby area – often a sign of an electrical fire. The crew checked wiring in the flat but there were no signs of fire and no smoke in any of the other flats.

They were then called out to Canalside Square just before 4am to reports of smoke in a flat close to Mr Ball’s but, despite carrying out door-to-door checks, found “no smoke at all” and there were no smoke alarms going off.

They asked firefighters on the next shift to go back and carry out a check on Ann Street and Canalside the next day, but they were called again anyway at 10am to Ann Street.

A light smell of burning was detected in the lobby. Again, a fire source could not be detected and firefighters called housing association Hyde, who managed the property, to send an electrical engineer.

They checked the outside of the Ann Street block but did not check Canalside, which firefighters admitted they should have done.

Mr Ball’s body was found on the Monday after housing association staff checking in the flat directly above his looked out of the window and saw a slightly blackened window below.

Mr Kent said it was likely smoke travelled to other properties as Mr Ball’s window was slightly ajar.

Charlie Pugsley, group manager of the fire investigations team, told the court the incident had been reviewed “at the highest level” of London Fire Brigade. Although there was no evidence of misconduct, the two watch managers involved have been put on personal development plans.

“Every firefighter goes out to do the best possible job,” said Mr Pugsley.

Assistant coroner Richard Brittain said it was very difficult to give a precise cause of death as a post-mortem report could not say whether alcohol alone, the fire alone, or a combination of both had killed Mr Ball.

He said Mr Ball’s death was accidental, contributed to by alcohol and smoking.

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Ball’s sister Susan, who had not seen him for 22 years, but kept in touch by phone, said: “I think the fire officers knew there was a couple of things they could have done differently, but I don’t think they would’ve made any difference to the outcome of my brother’s death. It was an accident and it was a horrible way to go.”