SYDNEY, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Construction has begun on Australia's largest morgue, the New South Wales State Government announced on Thursday.
Located in Sydney's west, the hi-tech, 91.5-million- Australian dollar (70 million U.S. dollars) facility is set to revolutionise the state's capacity to investigate deaths and disasters.
"This new purpose-built complex will not only provide the most advanced forensic and coronial services in the country but arguably in the world," New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard said in a statement.
"It will be the biggest of its kind in Australia, providing a better and more collaborative work space for staff and a much better space for grieving families."
The new location will also feature a multi faith prayer room and an area for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to perform smoking ceremonies.
Now capable of hosting large inquests, the facility will bring "an army" of pathologists and forensic scientists "under one roof," Hazzard said.
Almost half of the 6,000 deaths referred to the New South Wales State Coroner each year are in Sydney region.
The facility is expected to become operational by 2019.
