Liam Payne ‘jumped from the hotel balcony,’ authorities confirm

Liam Payne “jumped from the balcony” of his hotel room, according to authorities in Argentina.

The former One Direction star died in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, aged 31, and local authorities have now confirmed that Payne jumped from his balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel.

Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, has confirmed the news to PEOPLE.

Payne was pronounced dead after falling from the third floor of the hotel.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after 5pm local time, having been alerted to the situation by the hotel management.

In the first call made to the emergency services, a hotel employee explained: “We have a guest drunk with drugs and alcohol. When he is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room…

“We have a guest who is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.”

In a follow-up call, the employee added: “We need you to send someone urgently because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger.

“They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”

Local police previously confirmed that an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Toxological and anatomical-pathologicial studies of blood and urine are being undertaken to determine any traces of drugs.

Police found a bottle of whiskey, a lighter, and a white powder in the room, as well as medications including clonazepam – which is used to treat epilepsy, panic disorders or involuntary muscle spasms – and energy pills.

A notebook and Payne’s passport were seized and handed over to investigators, who also seized a phone that may have belonged to the former One Direction singer.

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