Parties swell as restrictions eased

Students partied shoulder-to-shoulder in Castle St as furniture burned after the Government’s decision to lift outdoor gathering limits, it has been revealed.

At the weekend, a police spokeswoman said police attended a large student party in Dunedin’s Castle St about 10pm, but had limited information.

Now, the true extent of the chaos in the student quarter has become clear.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said extra staff had been rostered on for the mid semester break and police would do what they could to make sure students stayed safe.

Police would continue to have a presence and monitor the student area, he said

At the weekend, students took advantage of the newly relaxed rules and a large party spilled out into Castle St on Saturday night.

No arrests had been made when police were called to check out the disorder in Castle St about 12.15am, he said.

An intoxicated 18-year-old woman was asked to leave a party, but became aggressive and lashed out at several other women.

Officers located her and the woman was taken home to be looked after by her flatmates

Pictures, posted on social media and later deleted, showed Castle St on Saturday night was jam-packed with revellers.

One partygoer could be seen waving a deck chair overhead as a DJ played from a balcony overlooking the crowded street.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said it attended a couch fire about 9.15pm in Logan Park Dr, near the tennis courts.

One appliance, dispatched from Dunedin Central Station had used a fire extinguisher to deal with the couch blaze, which was believed to be suspicious, the spokeswoman said.

A Snapchat video of the couch fire showed its size, a university student said.

The flames were up to the waist of the fireman putting it out, while partying students danced around it like a cult, he said.

A University of Otago spokeswoman said the proctor’s office was aware of the couch fire

and it would be disappointing if university students were found to be were involved.

Students were being asked to "do the right thing" to help keep themselves and the community safe, she said.

Some students had been referred to the proctor over the weekend, but the university would not say how many.

A Dunedin City Council spokesman said two noise control notices were served at two different Castle St addresses over the weekend and one had a stereo seized from it.

oscar.francis@odt.co.nz