A FIRE which tore through a Cwmbran home killing three generations of a family was started deliberately, a court heard.

Fire investigator Andrew Peterson said in his opinion the blaze was started by the introduction of a naked flame to waste products in a recycling bin in the porch of 15 Tillsland, Coed Eva.

He ruled out any electrical or gas faults and dismissed accidental ignition, but was unable to say if an accelerant was used.

Kim Buckley, 46, her daughter Kayleigh, 17, and six-month-old granddaughter Kimberley died in the fire which ripped through their home around 3.30am on September 18 last year.

Kayleigh's boyfriend Carl Mills, 28, of no fixed abode, is charged with their murders. He denies all charges.

Mr Peterson, who retired from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in January was called to the "severe" blaze by firefighters at the scene.

His role was to establish how the fire started, where, and its cause.

Upon inspection he found a single seat of the fire - the point at which it started - was in the porch.

This was likely caused by the ignition of waste in the recycling bin or clothes, babygrows and nappies which were in an overnight bag behind the front door, jury members heard.

Mr Peterson could not tell if an accelerant was used and said even if one was there be no evidence of it left because of the severity of the fire.

Mr Peterson, who has 14 years experience of fire investigation, said he was "very satisfied" the blaze was not caused by an electrical fault as there was no electricity source or any electrical items nearby.

He dismissed any suggestion it could have been caused by a discarded cigarette as that type of smouldering heat was unlikely to take hold and progress to a fire.

Mr Peterson said the fire spread from the porch up the stairway and into the bedrooms and loft. Jury members were shown a digital reconstruction of how the blaze would have travelled.

Jury members were also shown pictures of the fire captured by neighbour James Hendy.

They showed flames in the porch and spreading to the upstairs of the building.

They also viewed CCTV footage from another neighbour's garden which showed the fire in the porch getting bigger and brighter from 3.24am.