Liam Payne dead

Shocked fans mourn outside hotel in Buenos Aires

Grieving fans sing Liam Payne's hits and light candles after his death in Argentina

(Bild: KameraOne)

One Direction star Liam Payne has died in Buenos Aires under tragic circumstances. The 31-year-old singer fell from a hotel in the Argentinian capital. Only a few minutes after the news of Payne's death became public, fans gathered outside the hotel.

A mortuary ambulance was parked in front of the building, while fans laid flowers and candles, lit candles and sang his hits.

"Part of my youth lost"
Many were visibly shaken, like 24-year-old Lucia Gonzalez, who tearfully recalled her connection to the band: "I started listening to One Direction when I was 11 years old. They broke up, but there were always hopes of a return. Now that's not going to happen."

Brazilian Rawylla Goncalves expressed similar sentiments: "It's a terrible feeling. The band was part of my childhood and it was a blow when I learned of Payne's death."

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"I feel like I've lost a part of my youth," said fan Lena Duek, 21, outside the hotel. She had hoped that the band that had provided the soundtrack to her youth would get back together.

Stephanie Chiran also addressed the shock of the fan community: "We saw him in videos just a few days ago. It's hard to believe he's gone now." "The news hit me hard," said 27-year-old Pilar Bilik, who had rushed to the scene in Buenos Aires.

Circumstances of death being investigated
The investigation into the exact circumstances of his death is ongoing. The singer, guitarist and composer died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires at the age of 31, according to police in the Argentine capital. Payne had suffered "very serious injuries" in the fall, the head of the city's rescue service said on local television. There was "no possibility of resuscitation".

According to him, the emergency services had rushed to the hotel in the Palermo district after receiving an emergency call at 5.04 p.m. local time. They arrived seven minutes after the call and "ascertained the death of the man, who we later learned was a singer".

Police stated that the call reported an "aggressive male" who "may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs". Payne had fallen "about 13 or 14 feet" and appeared to have suffered a basilar skull fracture.

Singer Liam Payne rose to fame as a teenager with the boy band One Direction.

(Bild: Invision stock.adobe)

In Argentina since September
Payne had come to Argentina on September 30 with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy to attend a concert by his former One Direction colleague Niall Horan on October 2. Cassidy is said to have left on October 14.

Several media outlets have also reported that Payne's ex-fiancée, Texan model Maya Henry, obtained a restraining order against him a few days ago. The 23-year-old felt stalked by him and claimed that he had bombarded her, her family and friends with messages. 

Payne's body is taken away.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Natacha Pisarenko)

Hugely successful worldwide
The boy band One Direction, which was cast for a TV show and whose members included singer Harry Styles, was hugely successful worldwide. In 2016, One Direction announced that they were taking a break.

Payne, who was born in 1993, had spoken openly about his problems with alcoholism and fame in recent years. Last year, he declared that he was working on a second solo album and released a single in March

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