Hundreds of distraught fans gathered outside Palermo hotel to mourn a singer who was part of the soundtrack of their teenage years

Fans of British One Direction singer Liam Payne gather next to the Casa Sur hotel where he fell to his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday. Photograph: Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images

A quiet disbelief hung over the street. Fans stood in shock, some consoling one another, others staring up at the white facade of the Casa Sur hotel, where all the curtains were closed.

This was the scene in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Palermo on Wednesday night after news broke that Liam Payne had fallen to his death from a third-floor balcony at the hotel.

The former One Direction star, aged 31, had been visiting the country along with his bandmate Niall Horan.

As crowds of distressed One Direction fans gathered outside the building, police cordoned off the road from traffic, and sealed off the hotel entrance with tape. Investigators arrived at about 7.40pm dressed in forensic suits, and filmed the outside of the building.

Soon, the crowd of fans numbered in the hundreds. Many of them were in tears.

 Photograph: Agustín Marcarian/Reuters

Above, fans place candles outside the hotel where Liam Payne, former One Direction member, was found dead. Right, emergency officials keep the crowd back so Payne’s body can be taken away. Photograph: Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA

“I’m feeling heartbroken. I remember when I was a kid I had a lot of bullying in my school and his songs helped. I’m devastated. I came as soon as I heard the news,” says Martina Belaustgui, 26. “I saw him at Niall’s show a few weeks ago. He was singing and dancing and jumping.”

Mariana Pinto, 25, says: “I met him when I was 12. He was with his family and I asked for a picture. He was so nice. I was so shy, he tried to talk to me but I couldn’t say anything. I regret that.”

Berenice Desmond, 23, was a longtime fan. “I have been a fan since I was very little. I feel very sad and shocked. He was part of my teenage years, my adolescence. I came here straight away, as soon as I heard the news. I have been in the Argentina One Direction fanclub for ten years. I will stay outside this hotel for many hours.”

Police restrain fans gathering outside the hotel in Palermo. Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

Julieta Raviru, 22, was in shock at the news. “I am in disbelief. It is so big that I cannot believe it. Now that we are here it is strange, we feel anguished.”

Dozens more police arrived at the scene at around 8pm to control the crowd, which began lighting candles around the hotel.

As Payne’s body was taken away in a red firefighter van, the crowd began to clap. They continued as the van drove out of the street, accompanied by the sound of sirens. Some fans cried out in anguish and clung to one another.

The hotel placed black boards in front of its windows, and soon after the gathered fans dispersed.

A forensic technician uses a video camera outside the hotel where Liam Payne, former One Direction member, was found dead. Photograph: Agustín Marcarian/Reuters

Palermo is a popular area for tourists, filled with cafes, restaurants and trendy shops, and located close to the Movistar arena where Horan performed on 2 October. That evening, Payne was seen dancing and singing along with Horan’s fans.

According to reports, Payne died after falling from the third floor of the hotel into the courtyard.

A spokesperson for the medical service confirmed his death on Wednesday. “At 17.04 we were alerted to a person who was in an internal courtyard of the hotel,” said Alberto Crescenti.

“A few minutes later [an] emergency team arrived and confirmed the death of this man who we later learned was from a musical group. He had injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall. There was no way to do anything.”