The residents of the flat where a 19-year-old woman was killed in a stairwell pile-up will move out, University of Otago vice chancellor professor Harlene Hayne says.

Sophia Crestani, who was a twin, was in her second year of university in Dunedin when she was killed at a Dundas St flat, known as The Manor, on Saturday night.

Hayne said Crestani's family, who lived in Wellington, were in the "deep throes of grief"

The university was helping the students who lived in The Manor find an alternative place to live, Hayne said. 

Students affected by the tragedy would be allowed to apply for compassionate consideration for their upcoming exams, which start on October 16. She couldn't say who would be able to apply, but wanted it to be as inclusive as possible. 

Two others were injured at the party, which was attended by hundreds of people.

Hayne said she had not spoken to the two other injured students, but understood they were "fine". Both involved leg or knee injuries. 

The two injured students lived in residential colleges, so she assumed they were first-year students.

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A spokeswoman for the Southern DHB confirmed that no one connected to the party was admitted to Dunedin Hospital.

Hayne, while unable to comment on the investigation, confirmed Campus Watch staff were "on-site" during the party, and rang police.

The university would be working with the police, the Crestani family and the student association to find ways "to make this community even safer".

University of Otago Students' Association James Heath said the student community was "in shock".

From Tuesday, there would be a drop-in centre set up in the main common room for upset students to attend.

Heath encouraged students to talk to each other about how they felt and seek professional help if needed.

"Reach out ot your friends and flatmates," he said.

"Talk, listen and show the strength of our community. Now is not the time to be pointing fingers or blame. Now is the time for supporting our community." 

The front door at the flat near where Crestani died was littered with crushed cans, broken glass and a large number of shoes on Monday.

That debris offers a glimpse into what unfolded for hundreds of partygoers caught in the crush on the large stairwell of the two-storey house.

Late on Monday morning a large number of detectives entered the previously cordoned off property, and were later joined by several of the flat's residents, who have not been living in the property since the incident. 

Both detectives and residents declined to comment.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, speaking at a media conference in Auckland, extended her condolences to Crestani's family.

While she had not been briefed, aside from reading media reports, she called it "an extraordinary tragedy".

"At this point in time my thoughts are with the family and the friends of the young woman affected."

A witness, who declined to be named, said they were about halfway up the internal stairs when people coming down started pushing into each other.

"They started to fall backwards and when the people at the top started falling it was kind of like dominoes – everyone went down and the people at the bottom of the stairs just ended up in a pile of people."

The man said about 50 people ended up in a pile about 1 metre high near the front door. As he and about 15 others frantically tried to pull everyone out, more people kept coming down the stairs, making the pile-up worse. To his anger, other people were still trying to force their way inside to party.

By the time police arrived the group had managed to clear most of the pile, aside from a few people lying on the ground unconscious.

The witness said Crestani was found at the bottom of the pile.

"I just thought she was unconscious like everyone else."

Several people carried the woman across the road where police then ambulance staff tried to resuscitate her.

Inspector Wil Black, Otago coastal area prevention manager, said inquiries into what happened at the property were continuing.

Police finished their scene examination at the property, and spoke to a number of students present at the party.

They still wanted to hear from anyone with information that may help police form a detailed timeline of the events, which would assist the coroner.

Police would encourage the student community to seek welfare assistance available to them, either through the University or other organisations.

The all-male flat is two blocks away from Castle St North, where a balcony collapsed during a secret concert on March 4, 2016.