India, Jan. 30 -- The two warehouses in West Bengal's Nazirabad area, where at least 27 people are feared dead after a massive fire earlier this week, were built illegally on the protected East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), Sonarpur panchayat samiti secretary (karmadakshya) Prasanta Biswas said on Friday.

"The Karimpur mouza under the Kheadaha-II village panchayat is entirely under the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW). No construction is allowed here. Be rest assured that the panchayat didn't give any permission to the two warehouses. They have come up illegally," Biswas said.

The police have arrested three persons including Gangadhar Das, the owner of the decorator's firm who also owned the two warehouses. On Friday two officials of Wow! Momo, th...