British pop star Liam Payne died after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel yesterday, sending a wave of mourning across the entertainment world. Shortly before, a manager of the hotel called the emergency helpline and informed them about an unruly guest.
The call detailed the terrifying moments before the former member of the famous boy band One Direction fell from the balcony of the Hotel Casasur Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
During the call, the manager claimed that the singer was out of control and “putting his life at risk”, and asked for “immediate” assistance.
In audio obtained by The Sun UK, the manager, named Esteban, is heard claiming that the singer was destroying his hotel room under the influence of “drugs and alcohol”. The manager said, “We have a guest who is under the influence of drugs and alcohol. When he is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room.”
Read | Details surrounding the death of One Direction star Liam Payne
According to the report, the head of reception made two phone calls to the authorities. When he made a second call, he repeated his request and said, “We need to send someone immediately because I don’t know whether the guest’s life is in danger or not.”
The manager noted that the guests were in a balcony room. He added, “And well, we are a little worried that he will do something that will put his life at risk.”
Asked how long the guest had been staying at the hotel and whether it was a long-stay hotel, the man said, “He has been there for two or three days”.
Read | Hotel room ransacked, drugs found as investigation into Liam Payne’s death reveals
According to the New York Post, “resources” were dispatched to the hotel at 5:04 pm (local time), while police requested emergency medical services after receiving reports of the collapse at approximately 5:07 pm. Eyewitnesses said Payne was behaving “erratic” and was even taken back to his room before his death.
Liam Payne died at the scene and officials said there was “no possibility of reviving him.” Soon after, his body was put into an ambulance and taken away with a police escort.
Prosecutors previously said a preliminary investigation suggested the fall was due to substance abuse. His autopsy revealed 25 injuries, including fatal head injuries, prosecutors said, adding that there was no indication of any third party involvement.
Payne is survived by his parents, son Bear Gray Payne and his former girlfriend Cheryl, and two older sisters.