Birmingham airport is being turned into a temporary mortuary with space for up to 12,000 bodies amid the surge in coronavirus cases in the UK.
Work is already underway to convert one of the hangars at the airport into a space for 1,500 bodies.
There will be room to "expand" for a worst-case scenario, a group made up of West Midlands police, councils and other agencies said.
The new mortuary will be next to the National Exhibition Centre, which is being turned into a temporary hospital to manage extra demand for critical care during the coronavirus crisis.
The mortuary may house the bodies of people who have died from illnesses other than coronavirus, according to police.
Senior Birmingham coroner Louise Hunt said: “We understand that it is a very difficult time for everyone and we will do all that we can to make sure bereaved families understand what is happening to their loved ones and to release them for funeral as soon as we can.”
The West Midlands have recently emerged as a centre of the infection in the UK. Of the 115 people who were reported to have died after contracting the virus yesterday, 40 were in the region.
Deputy leader of Sandwell Council Wasim Ali said: “In reality, we have to prepare for the worst as local councils.
“We’ve seen the numbers of deaths just keep rising. If it does get to that point, we have to be prepared.
“It’s a big logistics operation, so we have to take that decision to start the planning.”
He added: “We really don’t want to have to use it, but if we do, then it’ll be available.”
A total of 789 people have died in the UK after being infected with the virus as of Thursday evening at 5pm, the NHS has said - an increase of 181 deaths in 24 hours.
The Government predicted 500,000 deaths related to coronavirus in the UK as a worst-case scenario in February, a leaked Department of Health document revealed.
But Professor Neil Ferguson at Imperial College, London, who is advising the Government, said last week that 20,000 deaths would be a "good outcome" if social distancing measures prove effective.
