Witnesses to the death of a woman at a rowdy North Dunedin party overnight have spoken of their shock and sadness in the wake of the incident.
Meanwhile, police say it's "not the time to point fingers" over the death at the party, which was attended by as many as 600 people at its peak.
The University of Otago student may have been trampled by other partygoers as she attempted to leave the overcrowded house, a witness says.
Two other people were injured following a panicked stampede from the Dundas St property, known as "The Manor", around midnight.
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A student who attended the party told the New Zealand Herald people fell down the flat's stairs and landed on top of the woman, who suffered fatal injuries.
"She may have been trampled," the student said.
"I went outside and saw her lying on the ground being given CPR."
The hosts had called earlier police for help to shut down the party before the woman died.
There had been reports the stairwell of the flat had collapsed during the party; however, the student told the Herald it had not.
Another partygoer told the Otago Daily Times of the shock that hit people as they exited the party.
"Shock . . .and obviously sadness. But shock more than anything.
"It's just a horrible, horrible way to go, you know."
The man, who did not want to be named, said the house was "seriously crowded", and there were people "slipping and falling" on the stairwell.
"There was too many people there."
He described the immediate panic and tears that followed the realisation something serious had occurred.
"She fell, and that's when the panic happened.
"The tears started flooding from everyone else."
"It's a time to rally around the community."
He said Police were called to the scene by Campus Watch, before the party organisers also called police.
He believed there were between 500 and 600 people there at the party's peak.
He said at this stage it was not thought there were any structural issues at the property.
The person who died was carried out of the party by attendees and was given CPR.
There were no arrests at the scene, and it was too early to say if any charges would be laid, he said.
Earlier, two students from a neighbouring flat, who were at the party, estimated there were "upwards of 400 people'' in the building at the time.
One said she was upstairs at the party when the incident happened.
She said people were having trouble getting downstairs because there were so many people on the ground floor.
"There was only one exit and that was also the entrance way.''
She believed one person tripped on the busy stairway and people started falling over.
"It was like a big domino effect of people. I don't think there is anyone to blame. There was just too many drunk people pushing around.
"There was a lot of people - too many people to be in there.''
She believed the party may have got out of control because a large number of people gatecrashed it.
"It's really difficult to regulate parties in Dunedin because people see parties and just go in.''
Another student said it was a "tragic accident''.
"I'm concerned for the family and people who knew the girl. What they must be going through is tragic.''
"You definitely wouldn't expected it to happen on any night. It's one of those things that you think would never happen . . . I'm real shocked, a bit numb really.
"When I came home, these boys told me what happened and it was crazy - I just couldn't quite believe it had happened.''
Another student said hundreds of people were flooding into the flat before the incident and many of the partygoers were "extremely intoxicated".
When the stampede started to exit the flat, attendees were panicked trying to get out the door when the girl fell over, she said.
"She fell and people were just trampling all over her without taking much notice," the student, told the Herald.
"When I was coming down, people had started giving her CPR but she was gone pretty fast, unfortunately."
Once police officers were inside the flat, everyone got out really quickly, she said.
The flat is no stranger to accidents, a man suffered serious head injuries at a party on the property after falling from a hedge in 2016.
A University spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday afternoon the university was going to lease the building from 2020.
Exams were just around the corner and university year was due to end around the start of November, so it was one of the last big parties, she said.
OUSA spokesman James Heath said the association's focus was on supporting the friends and family of those affected, and working alongside the university and police.
Any students who wanted support should reach out to Campus Watch, Student Health, or OUSA student support.
University of Otago vice-chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said the student community had been badly affected by the death of the woman, who was a student.
"We are deeply saddened by what occurred last night. We are supporting the family of the student who died," she said.
"Our staff are working with them today, and will continue to do so, at this very difficult time."
The university would work with police as they continued to investigate the incident.
The Otago University Students' Association said in statement it offered condolences to the family and those affected.
A man who had been at the party but left before the incident told the Otago Daily Times he thought the house was something of a party flat, but didn't think last night's affair was particularly busy.
The man, who resides in a neighbouring property, said he left the party before 11.30pm.
He said he thought the house was occupied by six men, whom he described as "pretty friendly neighbours" who were "courteous" about advising when they were having parties.
He said he had seen people slipping on the stairs, but didn't think it was because they were too steep, rather it was because of the "sheer mass of people" using them.
'I don't want to die'
One woman told the New Zealand Herald she was nearly crushed in the stampede to exit the property.
"No one could move inside it was that full. I went to leave and got to the bottom of the stairwell. Then all of a sudden everyone behind me were trying to run to leave through the front door which was a couple metres from the stairs.
"I got pushed to the ground with two other girls I remember, and we were looking at each other screaming and crying trying to get up. I kept repeating 'please don't let me die, I don't want to die'.
The woman said she was not injured but was very "shaken up".
Another partygoer told the Otago Daily Times there was panic during the incident as people tried to get out of the house. It "felt like an hour" for him to get out, he said.
He saw three people being taken away by ambulance.
Partygoers had been filtering through the flat but were predominantly gathering in the property's second storey, he said.
Dunedin's student population was this morning "shaken up" by the death, he said.
Police emergency tape cordons off the property this morning, with shoes and a lot of alcohol bottles, cans and boxes strewn on the street outside.
Request to shut down party
Police and St John were called to the property just before midnight after the occupants requested help to shut down the party.
When emergency services arrived, a large number of people were leaving and there were injuries, Otago Coastal Area Commander Marty Gray said.
"If you were at the party and have not spoken to police, we would ask you to please get in touch, to help us piece together what happened," he said.
Dunedin CIB was advised of the death and Victim Support has been made available for those who were present.
The incident follows the 2016 collapse of a deck at a Dunedin residence - 16 people were moderately injured and two others seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at another Dunedin student flat.
- additionally reported NZ Herald/ODT Online
