Liam Payne's body sent for autopsy as investigation begins following horror balcony fall

Authorities are now investigating the tragic death of Liam Payne after he fell from the third-floor balcony of a hotel.

The former One Direction singer had been in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a concert performance by his former bandmate Niall Horan. Liam sadly died on Wednesday night at the age of 31.

Police are said to have been called to the hotel Liam was staying at following reports of a man acting "erratically" . Now, his body has been sent for autopsy to help investigators determine what led to his death .

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Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Liam's death, according to Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system in Buenos Aires. It's hoped the autopsy will help investigators determine if there were any contributing factors.

It's currently unclear if authorities suspect foul play in his death. Crescenti said in a statement: "The alarm was raised at 5.04pm local time saying a person was lying in an internal patio at Casa Sur.

"At 5.11pm an ambulance arrived and the man was certified dead. Afterwards we found out he had been a famous singer. Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him."

Following the tragic fall, it's believed Liam suffered "very serious injuries incompatible with life." In a statement, the local ambulance manager told TN: "At 17.04 through the 911 integrated public safety system, we were alerted of a person who was in an internal courtyard of the management of a south house hotel.

"There is an internal courtyard where the victim fell, with tables and chairs: the hotel’s confectionery shop operates there. The space has a retractable roof that was open at the time. Fortunately, there were no other people there."

Fans have gathered outside the Buenos Aires hotel where Liam died to pay tribute. Photos showed people hugging each other as they stood behind a police cordon.

Liam is survived by his son Bear, who he welcomed with his ex-girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy (Cole), his mom Karen Payne and his dad Geoff Payne.

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