A 57-year-old man has died after a lengthy police standoff at a unit complex in Bomaderry, on the New South Wales South Coast, prompting a large emergency services response and warnings for residents to avoid the area. Early unconfirmed reports suggested a possible hostage situation, though NSW Police say officers found the man barricaded alone inside the unit after being called to a welfare concern.

Police were called to Ritchie Street shortly after 1.15pm, where the man allegedly started a fire inside the property while officers set up a perimeter with help from the tactical operations unit. Around 3.30pm police entered the unit and located the man; Fire and Rescue NSW put out the blaze and paramedics treated him at the scene, but he could not be revived. A critical incident team from Wollongong Police District is investigating, with oversight from the Professional Standards Command and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, and a report will go to the coroner.