I seem to recall reading of a fair few hairy moments with Lightning seats, including a chap who felt his seat go ' click ' and move a fraction on the rail, resulting in a very ginger return & landing in what must have been a pretty awful time for him.
One thing; NOT apportioning blame or anything like it, but as Lightnings were notorious for jetpipe / lower fuselage fires, I wonder if a clued up Lightning person in the tower may have been able to see the smoke mentioned & transmit a warning, giving more time ?
Sadly irrelevant now, unless it should be thought worth adopting this practice in future ( sod's law of course is that the next problem will be completely different ).