Liam Payne Was ‘Trashing Room’ Before Balcony Fall, Hotel Staff Says in 911 Call Made Minutes Before His Death

Mar. 15, 2025

The alarming details of a 911 call made beforeLiam Payne’s death at 31 have been revealed.

The formerOne Directionsinger waspronounced deadafter falling multiple stories at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday, Oct. 16, Policía Federal Argentina confirmed to PEOPLE.

Per local outletsLa NacionandClarin, as well asSky News, the hotel’s chief receptionist called 911 after becoming worried about Payne’s behavior.

Liam Payne.JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty

Liam Payne Serpentine Gallery Summer Party

JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty

According to a translatedLa Naciontranscript of the call, the worker said the musician was intoxicated and presumed he was “under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” insisting that someone needed to come “urgently” to the location. The outlet stated the call was made at 5:01 p.m. local time, shortly before Payne’s death around 10 minutes later.

The person on the other end of the line confirmed that SAME (Buenos Aires' public emergency medical services system) was on its way, per the outlet. Throughout the call, Payne’s name was not mentioned.

Sky News reported the worker said the guest’s life might be “in danger” because he was “in a room with a balcony.”

Liam Payne.Vitor De Los Reyes/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Liam Payne British Liam Payne in interview in Madrid, Spain

Vitor De Los Reyes/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The BBC transcript stated that the worker said that Payne had been “trashing the entire room” before his death.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances surrounding Payne’s death, local police told PEOPLE, adding that an autopsy will be conducted.

In a statement translated from Spanish, Alberto Crescenti (the head of SAME) toldTNthat Payne fell into the hotel’s internal courtyard. The tragedy was said to have taken place at around 5:11 p.m. local time.

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Police outside the hotel where Liam Payne died.Luciano Gonzalez/Anadolu via Getty

Police take security measures after British musician Liam James Payne, composer, guitarist, and former member of One Direction, passed away on Wednesday, October 16, after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 16. 2024

Luciano Gonzalez/Anadolu via Getty

Payne had been in Argentina sinceat least early this month, when heattended the Oct. 2 concertof his former One Direction bandmate,Niall Horan, at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

The late musician’s One Direction bandmatesHarry Styles,Zayn Malik, Horan andLouis Tomlinsonhave yet to comment.

However, Styles' mom, Anne Twist, was among many people sharing tributes to the late star on social media,posting a moving three-word messagealongside a broken heart emoji onInstagram.

“Just a boy … 💔,” she wrote.

source: people.com