Moment an out-of-control hot air balloon packed with tourists slams into Italian museum sending a stone column crashing to the ground

• A hot air balloon in Como, Italy, crashed into a museum in a take-off accident 
• The balloon climbed through leaves and branches and hit the building’s cornice
• A small column shattered and damaged the stairway but no one was injured  

This is the moment a hot air balloon loaded with tourists hit a historic Italian museum and knocked an ornamental column off the roof.

Footage filmed near the Voltiano Temple in Como on Monday morning showed the balloon hit the building shortly after take-off, sending the stone section of cornice crashing to the ground.

Fortunately the 94-year-old landmark was closed and no one was injured. 

In the clip the hot air balloon lifts off and immediately heads sideways into some trees.

Stamattina a Como…….

The historic Voltiano Temple in Como was closed at the time of the accident on Monday morning and no one was injured

The hot air balloon’s basket crashes into the side of the building where it knocks over a stone column

It can then be seen barging through the foliage and keeps floating up as branches and leaves fall to the floor. 

The balloon’s basket swings precariously as it clears the treetops and then knocks over a part of the building’s cornice.

The damaged column fell about five metres, landing in the stairway at the entrance.

The fire brigade secured the area and later tweeted photos of them working on the temple.

The post said: ‘To safeguard the artistic Italian heritage, from 8.30am the fire brigade attended the Voltiano Temple in Como to secure a column frieze and some tiles torn up by a hot air balloon on October 11th.’ 

Authorities are assessing the damage to the landmark. 

The stone column hit stairs at the entrance to the 94-year-old landmark

The fire brigade attends the scene of the accident to survey damage to the temple

The neoclassical temple was designed by Federico Frigerio and completed in 1927.

It honours one of Como’s most influential past residents, Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta, who lived from 1745 to 1827.

He is credited with inventing the electric battery and discovering methane and appeared on the old 10 thousand lire banknotes.  

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