Trauma setting in for horror fire’s survivors.

They have spoken of the frightening moments they realised they needed to get out.

Police say they are still a day away from getting answers about the fire that killed at least six people in a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand, but have confirmed it is being treated as suspicious, while fire crews are investigating whether alarms went off as intended.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, police would not be drawn on reports the blaze was deliberately lit, and said officers would not be able to enter the burnt-out building until Wednesday.

"We anticipate police will enter the building after a handover at some stage tomorrow, there are a number of health and safety factors that we need to mitigate before we place our staff inside the building," Acting District Commander Dion Bennett said.

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"However, once inside, we will work as quickly as we can to achieve an outcome for this.

"We know there are a huge number of questions that people will have. Right now we do not have the answer to all those questions but we will keep you informed.

"What we would ask is that we do not speculate until we know the facts and until we know the facts, that requires that scene examination.

"At this stage, the fire is unexplained and police have brought in specialist investigators and teams from around the country to support the Wellington district… to resolve this."

Police said they are still working to determine how many people are unaccounted for, and that they are yet to have been able to search all the hostel's rooms.

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Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) incident commander Bruce Stubbs could not confirm whether the building's fire alarms went off.

"We are checking that now," he said.

"We have been checking to ensure the sequence of events with our own alarm monitoring companies.

"At this stage, I can't answer any further than that."

He added that the blaze caused considerable destruction to the building.

"There was a roof collapse in the top floor," he said.

"That is where there is a significant amount of debris and structural damage that has come down.

"Inside on the top floor, there is a lot of destruction."

It's not yet known if any Australians have been impacted by the fire.

It's believed the original blaze broke out at the Loafers' Lodge in Newtown soon after midnight local time (10pm AEST).

"It is a truly tragic situation, the worst outcome," Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said.

"While we have six (people) that have passed, it will be in excess of that."

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Australia's high commission in New Zealand is working to determine if any Australians have been caught up in the blaze.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by news of a fire at the Loafers Lodge Hostel in Wellington overnight," a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said.

"The Australian High Commission is in contact with the New Zealand Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade and local authorities to determine whether any Australians are affected.

"Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre 1300 555 135 (within Australia) and +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas)."

Whanau said the death toll would become clear in the coming hours or days, after the building was deemed safe for firefighters to search.

"There's a risk of the roof caving in and, of course, we need to make sure that our firefighters are protected as well," Whanau said.

"That information will certainly become more clear over the next few hours."

New Zealand Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton warned that the process of identification could take some time.

"It is critical that that identification process is conducted properly and that no mistakes are made," she said.

"Coroners will be working hard with police to ensure that the victims are identified correctly, to enable them to be reunited with their families as soon as possible."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken with New Zealand counterpart Chris Hipkins to offer Australian assistance.

"He thanked me for the call, and thanked Australia for once again being with New Zealand, as our Kiwi friends are always with Australia at times of tragedy," Albanese said.

He said the fire was a "dreadful human tragedy".

Multiple people unaccounted for

Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally said there were no sprinklers in the building.

New Zealand outlet Stuff reported that fresh smoke had been seen coming from the roof this morning, with firefighters pouring more water onto the building.

It's believed up to 90 people were inside the building when the fire broke out, with 11 people still unaccounted for, according to Stuff.

Parts of the hostel have also collapsed, hampering any further search efforts.

Five people are in hospital, one in a serious condition, while others were treated at the scene.

Resident Tamrat Isse Adan told Stuff he had lost everything in the blaze.

He said he had spoken to his children in Australia to let them know he was alive, but he had no idea what came next.

"I'm very sad, very sad. My neighbour, he's missing, maybe he's dead, police say there's a lot of people missing. Very sad," he said.

Whanau said a mayoral relief fund had been set up to support both the survivors who had lost their homes and accommodation, as well as the families of those who died.

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"When I found out about the severity of this, this morning, I broke into tears myself, because we don't want that for anyone, especially those who are already struggling," she said.

One resident spoke of his terror on realising the blaze had taken hold.

"It was scary, you know — being, you know, first time I've been in a house fire, especially on the third floor, because you think, 'how am I going to get down'," he said.

"But I made it out."

Inspector Dean Silvester of Wellington police previously said he understood the death toll stood at fewer than 10, but was reluctant to give a concrete number.

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Many of the residents are shift workers, making it harder to track who was in the building at the time of the blaze.

One resident said there appeared to have been two fires when he fled the building.

Evacuees were taken to a centre at nearby Newtown Park, where charities supplied them with blankets, clothes and breakfast.

Hipkins acknowledged first responders desperately trying to save those inside.

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"Firefighters … have been putting themselves in harm's way over the last however many hours in order to try and get people out of the building and to try and get the fire out," he said.

The prime minister said he had previously been told at least six people had died in the fire, but he understood the final toll could be higher.

About 20 people were reported to be injured, with 15 treated at the scene.

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Local MP Grant Robertson said it had been "absolutely devastating" news to wake to.

"Obviously there will be thorough investigations of what has happened here, but for now the most important thing is that everyone stays safe and we look after those who have been affected," he said.

People in Wellington are urged to avoid the scene and wear a mask today if they are in the area, due to asbestos fears.

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A Qantas flight has turned back to Cairns after what the airline described as a "controlled shutdown" of one of the aircraft's engines.

QF703 took off from Cairns International Airport at 2.19pm and was due to land in Melbourne at 4.20pm.

Instead, the flight landed safely back in Cairns at 3.34pm.

READ MORE: Fears death toll of NZ hostel fire could rise

A Qantas spokesperson said the flight taxied to the gate safely and no emergency services were needed.

The spokesperson said engineers are now investigating the incident. 

More to come.

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Placing his phone on the ground Tony Harrison bent his knees in a squat before grabbing the tail of the world's second most venomous snake.

Then he started to pull. 

This daring removal unfolded in Veresdale, in Queensland's Scenic Rim Region over the weekend, and was captured on video.

READ MORE: Multiple people killed in Wellington hostel blaze

Harrison, a licenced snake catcher, told 9news.com.au the reptile measured around 1.4-metres and was preying on food under a home.

"A customer cleaning up yard found it hunting for rats," he said.

"He called us and did the right thing by keeping an eye on it.

"About 25 minutes later it was in a bag". 

An untreated bite from the species is believed to be capable of killing in as little as 30 minutes.

The eastern brown was relocated into nearby bushland "away from humans".

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Harrison added part of the challenge of the job is knowing how much strength to use without hurting the reptiles.

The removal comes at the end of snake season, which typically runs from September to April.

However, a number of snake catchers have told 9news.com.au they're still seeing hatchlings and large snakes due to the unseasonably warm weather.

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After driving all the way to his local police station only to find it shut, a former special forces soldier charged with a war crime has had his bail conditions altered.

Oliver Jordan Schulz is living at an undisclosed location in rural NSW, charged with unlawfully killing a civilian while deployed in Afghanistan in 2012.

The 41-year-old was granted bail on March 28 but conditions requiring him to report to the nearest police station each day have been complicated because of its irregular opening hours.

READ MORE: Multiple people killed in Wellington hostel blaze

"The accused has been attending at different times and finding it unattended," crown prosecutor Talia Epstein said on Tuesday.

His bail was varied in Downing Centre Local Court allowing Schulz to attend the police station in person and, if it was closed, remotely connect to another nearby station to report without breaching his bail conditions.

Magistrate Susan Horan found any risks he would not appear in court were still addressed by the changes because he had to be physically present when reporting anyway.

Discussions are also ongoing between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Schulz's legal team and the Commonwealth Attorney-General about how the ex-SAS soldier can access his brief of evidence without breaching national security laws.

The matter will next come before the court on June 27 after Schulz and his lawyers have had time to consider these security concerns.

The soldier is accused of approaching Dad Mohammad in a wheat field in Uruzgan Province and then firing three shots at a 25- or 26-year-old while he was on his back with his hands and knees raised.

Mohammad's father later made a complaint to the ADF, alleging his son had been shot in the head.

In March, Schulz was granted bail despite the seriousness of the alleged crime after a magistrate found he was at a high risk from Taliban attack if he remained behind bars.

Orders were also made barring the public from reporting the town and region where he resides to protect his family from retaliation by the Islamic fundamentalist group.

If you are a current or former ADF member, or a relative, and need counselling or support, you can contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.

One lucky swimmer diving off the coast of Israel has made the discovery of a lifetime, stumbling across an almost 2000-year-old Roman-era shipwreck. 

The wreckage, found sitting atop the ocean floor, was previously nestled beneath a mountain of sand which had recently been shifted thanks to recent storms.

Experts say they were aware that the ancient shipwreck existed, but had never been able to pinpoint exactly where – until the diver's miraculous luck.

READ MORE: Multiple people killed in Wellington hostel blaze

Koby Sharvit, director of the underwater archaeology unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), said it's likely that weather conditions helped uncover the wreck from its deep-sea slumber.

"Such storms often blow up suddenly along the country's coast," Sharvit said, according to Live Science.

"And due to the ships' limited maneuvering potential, they are often dragged into the shallow waters and shipwrecked."

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Sharvit explained that the marble could have originated in Turkey or Greece and was traveling south "possibly (to) Alexandria in Egypt."

After further inspections by archaeologists, it was revealed that the ancient Roman-era ship was carrying 40 metric tonnes of marble, including "Corinthian columns adorned with ornate vegetal patterns, capitals and marble columns measuring some six metres long".

The find marks the oldest known sea cargo wreck in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Based on the size of the elements, scientists determined that based on the size of the ship, it "could bear a cargo of at least 200 tonnes" – equivalent to roughly 30 adult male African elephants.

The diver who made the discovery, Gideon Harris, found the wreck several weeks ago, and reported it to the IAA this week.

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Australian greyhounds retired from racing will be rehomed in the US to be therapy dogs for ex-police officers under a historic new partnership.

Greyhounds Australasia and Greyhound Racing NSW signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in Washington DC overnight.

The new partnership will see the greyhound bodies "immediately" begin a supply channel for greyhounds to be delivered to the FOP's members.

READ MORE: Multiple people killed in Wellington hostel blaze

The dogs will be coached to serve as companion animals, similar to programs underway in Australia with the Australian Federal Police Association, and the Police Association of NSW.

FOP national president Patrick Yoes said US law enforcement officers were regularly exposed to "harrowing and traumatic incidents".

"This naturally has a significant impact on their mental health, and sadly we see a large number of our members suffering from mental health conditions such as PTSD and acute stress disorder," he said.

"Therapy animals have been proven to have a dramatic, positive effect on people in these situations, and the case studies from the Australian programs show the impact they have had on police who have suffered from PTSD and similar disorders."

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Greyhounds Australasia chairman Rob Vellar said the agreement would have an "immediate" impact.

"This partnership between two great allies is the marriage of human welfare and animal welfare, and like their Australian counterparts, I know the members of the Fraternal Order of Police will also see the huge benefits of greyhounds as companion animals," he said.

The partnership follows Greyhound Racing NSW's work with Greyhound Pets of America to help fill a shortage of the breed in the US.

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Aged care residents and their families will soon have the power to "dob in" nursing homes for serving substandard food.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells announced the government plan to improve the "food, nutrition and dining experience" in residential aged care through a $12.9 million funding package.

A new food hotline for complaints and advice will be established in July to ensure residents are offered nutritious meals.

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Also part of the crackdown, 700 on-site spot checks will be conducted each year and nutritionists will assess up to 500 menus.

New dietary guidelines and resources will also be developed for older people to support the elderly receiving in-home care or living in a nursing home.

"Older people have a right to enjoy quality food and will now have a simple way to report inadequate food," Wells said.

"This $12.9 million investment will increase the capability and accountability of aged care providers to deliver good food and nutrition."

She added the government, aged care providers and dietitians need to work together to lift the quality of food and nutrition in aged care homes.

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It comes as the government announced a "historic" pay boost for aged care workers as part of the federal budget.

Under the $11.3 billion package, nurses and aged care workers will receive the most significant pay pocket increase "since the Federation of Australia".

From January 1, aged care workers will receive an extra $7000 in their pay packet and nurses will be paid an additional $10,000 a year.

It is all part of the government's plan to reform the care economy in the country.

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Sydney residents have been left in disbelief after an allegedly disqualified driver walked away from a crash that saw the roof of his vehicle torn off by a semi-trailer.

Jackie Chand, 37, was driving a Nissan Murano on Hassall Street at Wetherill Park when he clipped a Nissan Navara around 5.30pm yesterday.

The 66-year-old driver of the Nissan Navara tried to swerve out of the way of Chand but instead, his ute was clipped and sent spinning with his niece and nephew inside.

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"Out of nowhere … he's actually come in, fully crossed into our lane," witness Luke Frendo said.

After the Murano clipped the Navara, the impact forced it to crash into a parked semi-trailer.

Chand was treated for minor injuries and taken to Liverpool Hospital as a precaution.

"The truck came through and hit him on the head because he had a deep cut on his head," Frendo said.

"He was asking me to get him out, get him out so I pulled him out of the car."

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Residents were shocked the driver not only survived but walked away from the crash that saw the roof of the SUV shredded and replaced with a semi-trailer.

"I'm shocked he's actually walked away from that, I really am, after seeing the footage it's unbelievable," local mechanic Jason Kouroukas said.

The driver of the Nissan Navara and his passengers – his niece and nephew – were all uninjured.

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Chand is allegedly a disqualified driver and police claim this is his second offence while not having a licence.

The 37-year-old has been issued with a court attendance notice for driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period along with negligent driving.

He will appear at Fairfield Local Court on June 13.

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