Mr Parsons said a protective screen was placed by fire service workers the day after the crash to preserve the dignity of the deceased, as the bodies were recovered from the site.

An inquest at Leicester City Hall, expected to last for between two and three weeks, has begun, with a jury to determine who the deceased were - and when, where and how they died.

In most states, the half owned by the deceased spouse would get a new tax basis reflecting the home’s current market value.

Economic relief comes from the unlikeliest of sources: an Indian “compassionate appointment” law that can bestow a deceased government employee’s job to the surviving spouse.

No information was available on the identity of the deceased or the location of the deaths.