The manager of the hotel Liam Payne was staying at when he died told police he was “breaking everything in the room” in a 911 emergency call.
Former One Direction singer Payne died aged 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Hotel in the Palermo area of Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Local police said he fell into the courtyard of the hotel, before medics confirmed his death.
In the call prior to the incident, the hotel’s manager Esteban can be heard telling emergency services “I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with balcony”.
The conversation, which was originally in Spanish, starts with the hotel manager saying: “Good morning. I’m calling from Hotel CasaSur Palermo, Costa Rica 6032.”
911 call handler: “What is happening sir?”
Hotel manager: “We have a guest drunk with drugs and alcohol. When he (them, gender not clear in conversation) is conscious he is breaking everything in the room and we need someone sent please.”
911 call handler: “You said alcohol and drugs…”
Hotel manager: “This is correct.”
911 call handler: “You said Costa Rica intersecting where?”
Hotel manager: “Costa Rica 6032.”
911 call handler: “Repeat.”
Hotel manager: “Costa Rica 6032.”
911 call handler: “Hotel, you said? What is the hotel called?”
Hotel manager: “CasaSur Palermo. We need to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with balcony, and we are a bit worried he’ll do something that puts his life at risk.”
911 call handler: “How long has he been there? Is it a long-stay hotel?”
Hotel manager: “No, he has been here for the past two or three days.”
911 call handler: “You don’t have any other information because you can’t get in. Right?”
Hotel manager: “No.”
911 call handler: “We are also notifying SAME (Medical Emergency Attention Service).”
Hotel manager: “We are asking you to send someone with urgency because…”
911 call handler: “We are doing that. Any other data to give me. Who are you?”
Hotel manager: “I’m the reception manager.”
911 call handler: “The person in charge, right?”
Hotel manager: “Yes.”
911 call handler: “It has been notified. What is your name, sir?”
Hotel manager: “Esteban.”
911 call handler: “Thanks for calling. Stay on line.”
Hotel manager: “Are you sending police too.”
911 call handler: “Police from the delegation… Let me confirm.”
Hotel manager: “No, no, only SAME, only SAME (Medical Emergency Attention Service).”
911 call handler: “Don’t worry because they have already been notified.”
The recording of the call was released by Argentinian police.
