HAMPTON -- Fire investigators said the fatal apartment fire which claimed three members of a Hampton family was caused by a candle burning in a wall sconce.

Today, 13News learned that the family was using the candle as a light source because their apartment had no electricity.

The fire started in a second floor unit at the "Colonial Village At Tradewinds." The blaze killed two children and their great grandmother.

Video: Hampton apartment hit by fatal fire had no electricity

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The family was using candles as a light source in several rooms, and had extinguished all but one of the candles, leaving it burning so that a family member coming home that night could see.

A Hampton fire investigator says candles are pretty to look at in a room but that's all they should be used for.

Officials aren't sure how long the candle in the wall sconce had been burning, but the fire it caused damaged 12 apartments and claimed three lives.

Fire Investigator Jesse Gomes says wall sconces should be used for decoration, not for light. 

'I would never burn a candle in a wall sconce because of the way it conducts heat back towards the wall.  They are never very sturdy.  You put a candle in, they fall over," said Gomes.

The family was using candles in the apartment because the electricity was turned off for lack of payment.

A spokesman for Dominion Virginia Power said the utility has a program called Energy Share to help people who have problems paying their power bill.

Because the power was off, the smoke detector didn't work, and investigators aren't sure if it had a battery back up.

Hampton fire chief James Gray said a working smoke detector could have made all the difference.

“Given the early alert to the occupants, it’s possible they might have gotten out and we would have had a different circumstance, a different outcome."

Since March, there have been six fires in Hampton caused by candles.  Four of fires were at apartments.

"It kind of gives some indication that's where we need to be focusing our attention.  We'll be making contact with apartment owners and managers," said Gray.