On Monday, October 11, 2021, due to strong gusts of wind, a hot air balloon crashed into trees and knocked over a sculpture of the Temple of Volta during take-off at Lake Como, Italy. The historical museum had been closed since 2014 and was due to reopen soon. The opening will undoubtedly be delayed due to the incident. In addition to the destroyed column, some roof tiles and an underlying staircase were badly damaged. The city council was surprised that the hot air balloon was allowed to take off so close to the temple.