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A man has been charged with two counts of arson over a fire at a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand, that killed at least six people.

New Zealand Police say they have not ruled out further more serious charges that may be laid in relation to deaths at Loafers Lodge in Newtown, which went up in flames on Monday night.

The man is scheduled to appear in Wellington District Court on Friday.

The investigation is ongoing, say police, but they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the fire.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand government will review safety regulations for high-density accommodation in the wake of the fatal Loafers Lodge fire, amid claims the firefighters involved in the blaze lacked resources.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) had one ladder truck available to lift hostel occupants from the top of the building in the Wellington suburb of Newtown after the blaze broke out in the early hours of Tuesday.

In total, 33 trucks and 80 firefighters attended the scene, where at least six people died.

FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory said firefighters are very raw about the latest incident, flagging an operational review of the service's operations, staffing and fleet.

"Firefighter numbers are not where we need them to be. We have committed to addressing this," he told reporters on Thursday.

"I want to reassure the public that fire and emergency are ready, able and capable of responding."

Mr Gregory rejected claims of a lack of resources, saying the service had enough specialist appliances to respond, while conceding the fleet was ageing.

The death toll from the fire remains at six but is expected to rise when police begin a more methodological search.

"The recovery of those who lost their lives in the fire will be the immediate priority for the team," acting Wellington District Commander Inspector Dion Bennett said.

"We anticipate recovering two of the deceased today and two tomorrow."

Damage inside is extensive, with debris as high as one metre in places.

Police are treating the fire as arson and have a number of people of interest they plan to interview as part of a homicide investigation.

In recent times, the hostel had been used to house low-income Kiwis, a mix of short and long-term tenant, including some New Zealanders deported from Australia and others under corrections orders.

It is not clear of the make-up of residents during the fire, which caused many to jump from windows or crawl through smoke-filled corridors to try and escape.

Police are also reconciling lists of people believed to be at the hostel on the night by accounting for their whereabouts.

There are "less than 20" outstanding people, Insp Bennett said, including the six bodies originally confirmed by FENZ.

There were just over 100 people in the 92-bed facility, described on its website as "Wellington's most convenient and affordable accommodation option".

The blaze has triggered outrage and despair among Wellingtonians, particularly owing to the vulnerable nature of those affected.

Many who survived lost all of their possessions and many have been rendered homeless.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday said he would task Housing Minister Megan Woods with examining building regulations issues.

"I've already asked officials to give me advice in terms of what we need to do to ensure that buildings are safe for New Zealanders," Dr Woods said.

Loafers Lodge director Greg Mein has defended the maintenance of the building.

"Myself, the management, the family ... of the owner, everyone is just gutted by this. It's just done us in completely," he told reporters.

Mr Main said monthly inspections and a recent annual building warrant of fitness showed "all the services are up to standard and ... everything was a-okay".

© AAP 2023

A 29-year-old man has been charged with domestic violence-related murder after the death of a young mother who was stabbed in a "horrific scene" on a public footpath.

The woman, named in media reports as mother-of-four Heather Ball, was found with stab wounds on Wednesday night after emergency services were called to a unit complex on Short Street at Caboolture, north of Brisbane.

Police allege the 27-year-old woman and the man were involved in an altercation about 8.30pm before she was stabbed.

"Police were called to a unit in Caboolture to a scuffle, a woman screaming," Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said on Thursday.

"Sadly, when the police turned up a woman had been stabbed. She was taken immediately to the hospital and sadly has passed away."

Queensland Police said the suspect fled the scene on foot to a vehicle before a pursuit began.

Authorities tracked a Holden Commodore travelling to the Sunshine Coast before it crashed into a police vehicle on the Bruce Highway.

Detective acting Inspector Anthony Green said police attempted to intercept the vehicle near Caboolture before it continued onto the highway.

"The man failed to stop, resulting in the deployment of-tyre deflation devices around Yandina before crashing into the rear of a police vehicle a short time later," he said.

The Holden Commodore was allegedly travelling at high speeds and went through a red light.

Two male officers, a senior constable and a sergeant, sustained minor injuries in the crash. They have since been discharged from Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

A 29-year-old Morayfield man was arrested and taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital for assessment.

Police later charged him with one count of domestic violence-related murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of dangerous driving, one count of evading police and one count of contravening a domestic violence order.

Det Insp Green said a domestic violence order was in place and the woman "was the aggrieved".

The commissioner said the incident was "an absolute tragedy".

"A horrific scene. A horrific scene, not only for police but for neighbours," Ms Carroll said.

"They have witnessed what has taken place. It is on the footpath in front of their house, their units, and it is very, very difficult for police to deal with, let alone members of the public."

The 29-year-old Morayfield man is expected to front Caboolture Magistrates Court via video link on Friday.

Police urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

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© AAP 2023

A 95-year-old great-grandmother is reportedly fighting for her life after being tasered by police when she was found with a knife in a NSW nursing home.

Clare Nowland was standing next to her walking frame and holding a kitchen knife when aged care workers at the Yallambee Lodge near Cooma called police in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to multiple media reports.

Police confirmed the elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with officers before she was taken to hospital.

"The 95-year-old woman was taken to Cooma District Hospital where her condition is being monitored," NSW Police said in a statement.

Officers struggled to disarm the woman before pulling out their tasers and firing at her back and chest, reports said.

Ms Nowland, who has dementia, collapsed and sustained critical injuries during the incident.

According to NSW Police guidelines, an officer can use a stun gun when violent resistance is occurring or is imminent or when an officer is in danger of being overpowered.

The Snowy Monaro Regional Council, which runs Yallambee Lodge, said staff followed procedure during the incident.

"Council are supporting our staff, residents, and families during this difficult time," it said in a statement.

NSW Police said a critical incident investigation had been launched to examine the responding officers' actions. The investigation will be subject to independent review.

Yallambee Lodge is a 40-bed facility designed for people who can no longer look after themselves in their own homes, according to the council's website.

NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Josh Pallas said police should not be using stun guns on vulnerable people who were experiencing dementia or a mental health crisis.

"Surely, there must be more appropriate ways to deal with non-compliant people who are suffering," he said.

© AAP 2023