An Inverness building badly damaged after being hit by a car will be “uninhabitable” until further notice.
The premises on Pumpgate Street in the Merkinch area of the city remains cordoned off following the incident last week.
A Mercedes plowed into the side of the building on Thursday night, with a woman and three men taken to Raigmore Hospital after being cut free by firefighters.
The three men suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, while the woman was checked over and discharged.
Three households were evacuated from the building, which is on the junction of Grant Street and Lochalsh Road.
Now, Highland Council has revealed that the property will remain uninhabitable until further notice.
They are leading on works to make the structure of the building safe before handing it back to the owners.
The local authority’s housing team provided accommodation for one family over the weekend while the others stayed with friends.
Further accommodation can be provided if it becomes necessary.
The road will remain closed this week, with local diversions remaining in place.
Traffic management arrangements are being monitored closely.
Ongoing work to make the building safe
Temporary propping up works were completed on Friday, with additional propping and structural scaffolding also near completion.
Engineers will be on-site tomorrow to continue work on making the building safe.
More assessments on the inside of the damaged building will be carried out shortly, with the business owners expected to be given access to it by the end of the week.
All costs on securing the safety of the building will be covered by the building owners.
Usually, these safety works would be carried out by the owner, but due to the circumstances, Highland Council has to carry them out to remove the immediate danger.
Once they do this, it will be returned to the owner who will have to carry out the necessary remedial works.
‘Explosion’ as car crashes into building
About 20 locals came to help when the Mercedes E220 crashed into the side of the building on Thursday night at about 9.10pm.
Shop assistant Kayleigh Dewar described hearing an “explosion” as she raced to help, fearing there were children inside.
