A building destroyed in the Shrewsbury blast is still not stable enough for heavy machinery such as jack-hammers to be used nearby – meaning work to repair traffic signals and get a remaining section of road open can still not take place.

Highways bosses at Shropshire Council said owners of the building were due to carry out more work to stabilise it in the next few days.

Until this has been carried out the traffic signals cannot be repaired and a section of Smithfield Road towards Welsh Bridge from the Roushill junction can’t be reopened.

Work is still taking place on the corner of Bridge Street and Smithfield Road in the wake of the explosion.

The blast on January 3 caused devastation in the area of the two roads, injuring 12 people – five seriously – leaving buildings damaged and causing road closures.

Hugh Dannatt, group manager for traffic and highways engineering at Shropshire Council, said: “We’re still in a semi-state of emergency. There are works we’re needing to do to put back the signals. The building is still not stable enough if we were to operate jack hammers or machinery like that near it.

“The owners of the property are meeting to do more work in the next few days to stabilise the property and we will then move to get the signals operating again.

“We were looking to replace the signals and put in a crossing across Welsh Bridge in April, but we’ve brought that forward and as soon as we can we will go in to do those works, as well as any works needed as a result of the explosion.”

Yesterday, it was revealed that the Bridge Street fund – set up to help blast victims Scott Godbold, Sam Devine-Turner, Annie Davies, Sarah Pearse and Kiley McDonnell – had so far raised £5,000.

And last night Scott received a bravery award at the Yorkshire House pub for his actions in saving the life of his fellow flatmate Sam.