I'm guessing
the emergency part is less to do with the actual funeral, and more to do with coming and collecting the body.

When Gramps pops his clogs at 3.00am, I don't suppose Gramdma is going to roll over and grab a few more hours of kip, with a resigned "might as well, the funeral place isn't open till 9".
(username failed moderation, Mon 15 Apr 2013, 11:45, 1 reply)

Ambulance Service ambulances are not properly equipped for transporting corpses.
Once clearance has been given by the police and the coroner, the body is removed to the mortuary by an on-call mortuary service in a van marked 'Private Ambulance'
( wakeupandsmellthebacon, Mon 15 Apr 2013, 15:08, closed)

Sounds about right.
When my stepfather died last year at about 6am, by the time we got to my Mothers about 4 hours later, he had already been taken.
(username failed moderation, Mon 15 Apr 2013, 15:23, closed)

Roughly by a gang of degenerate City bankers?

( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Mon 15 Apr 2013, 16:21, closed)

Well, I wasn't actaully there
so I can't say you're wrong, but . . .
(username failed moderation, Mon 15 Apr 2013, 17:17, closed)