In a tragic incident, popular singer Liam Payne fell from a balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires. Prior to the incident, he was reportedly intoxicated and causing a disturbance in his room.
Payne, a former member of the globally renowned British band One Direction, tragically passed away on Wednesday at the age of 31. The incident took place at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in the prominent Palermo district of Buenos Aires.
According to phone recordings obtained from Argentinian security authorities, a hotel staff member can be heard requesting assistance from the police.
“We have a guest who is using drugs and alcohol. When he is conscious, he’s smashing things, causing a disturbance in the room. We need you to send someone, please,” the caller said in an emergency call to 911. “We need you to send someone urgently, I don’t know if this guest’s life is in danger. His room has a balcony, and we are worried he might do something endangering his own safety.”
The caller did not mention Payne’s name in the report.
Upon receiving the emergency call, authorities rushed to the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, the hotel manager reported hearing a loud noise from the courtyard, and the police found a man who fell from the balcony of his room.
On the same day, the police confirmed that the musician and guitarist, a member of One Direction, Liam Payne, tragically fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of the hotel.
Alberto Crescenti, head of Argentina’s National Emergency Medical System, stated on Todo Noticias television that authorities are investigating the specifics of the incident and will conduct an autopsy. The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office of Argentina informed CBS that they found “a series of substances” in Payne’s room.
BBC reported that Payne’s sudden passing has left his family devastated. In a statement, they expressed their grief, saying, “Our hearts are broken. Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we will remember his kind, fun, and brave soul.”
Payne had previously spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and using alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame. In 2019, he told The Guardian, “What else are you supposed to do after you’ve done a show to 20,000 people and you can’t go anywhere? The minibar is always there.”
Local media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend a concert by his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan.
One Direction, formed in 2011, has received numerous awards, including 7 Brit Awards, 4 MTV Video Music Awards, 11 MTV Europe Music Awards, 7 American Music Awards, 28 Teen Choice Awards, and many others.
On March 25, 2015, former member Zayn Malik announced his departure from One Direction, leading to a temporary hiatus for the band. Following the members’ solo careers in 2016, Payne released two solo albums, “LP1” and “Teardrops.”
After the news of Payne’s passing spread, music producer Zedd, rapper Juicy J, singer Charlie Puth, and other industry stars who had worked with him expressed their sorrow and condolences.
Charlie Puth shared on his Instagram account that he was “shocked” by Payne’s passing, accompanying his post with a photo and video of the two of them. “He was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I collaborated with, and I can’t believe he’s gone…” he added, “I am deeply saddened right now, may he rest in peace.”
Payne leaves behind a son, whom he shared with Cheryl Cole, a former member of Girls Aloud, ten years his senior, born in 2017.