A pensioner died from smoke inhalation after a fire ripped through his home sparked by candles and a small calor gas heater, an inquest heard.
Retired croupier Geoffrey Raven was discovered holding a box of matches at the address in Bootle where he lived in just one room of the house.
The 67-year-old had no electricity and lived on Antonio Street with his partner, who were described as a hoarders, Sefton Coroner's Court heard.
Mr Raven, who was in poor health, decided not to join his partner on the visit to the shops, due to coronavirus reasons.
But when the partner returned to the home three hours later, it was to find fire crews battling a serious fire which had engulfed the house.
The blaze had started in the bedroom in the early evening on March 18,. The victim was found by crews inside the house.
In an inquest hearing this week, Senior Coroner Julie Goulding said: "Geoffrey Edward Raven sadly died on 18th March 2020.
"He was pronounced deceased at University Hospital Aintree after having been admitted in cardiac arrest following being found unresponsive in a substantial house fire at his home earlier in the evening.
"Police were satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death."
A conclusion of accidental death was recorded.
Investigations have discovered a next door neighbour heard somebody shouting and banging from the home at about 5.30pm, the time the fire started to take hold.
Twenty minutes later, he was startled by another noise which sounded like part of a roof or walls collapsing.
The couple were known to drink alcohol frequently, Sefton Coroner's Court has heard.
Mr Raven, who had been in a relationship for 30 years, was described as being in "good health" by his partner.
But he did have a number of conditions including arthritis, carpel tunnel syndrome and post traumatic amnesia following a bleed on the brain.
A neighbour forced entry to the home, and later the back door was pushed in so firefighters could make their way inside.
At the time of the tragedy, one neighbour told the ECHO: "The house was engulfed in smoke very quickly.
“I heard two men went into the house to see if there was anyone there, but there was too much smoke to see.
“I came out along with all the other neighbours to see what was going on.
“You could see the flames in the top window."
Another said: "We never saw anyone come out or go in.
“It’s terribly sad.”
