The Belgian city of Mons, a European Capital of Culture in 2015, has suffered a major setback in its preparations. Only a week before the celebration’s official opening on January 24, one of its main attractions has been torn down and removed due to concerns that it was unstable,  Monopol reports.

The artwork is a large-scale wood installation entitled The Passenger by Belgian conceptual artist Arne Quinze. On Christmas Eve, a section of the installation fell to the ground. Although the structure was repaired, problems reportedly continued. Residents complained about cracking noises, and when some of the artwork’s branches broke and fell down for a second time, a road in central Mons had to be closed.

Quinze is by no means happy about the work’s removal. “I’m speechless; it’s as if I’m loosing a child,” he said. The artist explained that the problems stemmed from a faulty supporting pillar, which triggered a chain reaction. He insists that the structure itself was sound.

The €400,000 artwork, which has been described as a giant “forest of matches,” was originally intended to remain standing for five years. Whether the installation will be rebuilt remains unclear. “We need to take some time to think,” said Mons’s mayor, Elio Di Rupo. “We have not spoken about rebuilding.” Di Rupo was previously Belgium’s Prime Minister and had previously served as Mons’s mayor as well.

The curator of the Cultural Capital festivities, Yves Vasseur tried his best to be optimistic. “Mons 2015 consists of 300 projects. It can still be a success with the remaining 299,” he said.