New York City Police said the woman fell about 10 feet into an uncovered utility hole after stepping out of her SUV.
WASHINGTON — A woman died after falling into an open utility hole on a busy Midtown Manhattan street late Monday, prompting an investigation into how the uncovered hole was left exposed in one of New York City’s busiest shopping districts.
Police identified the woman as Donike Gocaj, 56, of Briarcliff Manor, New York. Authorities said she fell into the hole shortly after 11:15 p.m. near the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street after parking her Mercedes-Benz SUV outside the Cartier Mansion.
Emergency crews responded to a 911 call and found Gocaj unconscious and unresponsive inside the hole, according to police. Firefighters pulled her out and she was taken to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Con Edison said preliminary surveillance footage appeared to show a multi-axle truck dislodging the utility cover about 12 minutes before the woman fell in.
“We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority.”
Witness Carlton Wood told the New York Post he saw Gocaj fall moments after she stepped away from her vehicle.
“She was just in the hole, screaming that she was dying,” Wood told the newspaper. “Over and over she was like, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying.’”
Wood said there were no barricades or warning signs around the hole and estimated the woman fell roughly 10 to 15 feet.
The city’s medical examiner is investigating the cause of death. Police said no arrests have been made.
The incident renewed fears about street safety hazards in New York City, where missing manhole covers and underground utility incidents occasionally make headlines.
According to New York City 311 data cited by The New York Times, the Department of Environmental Protection has received more than 700 service requests related to manholes so far this year.
The woman’s death also recalled other unusual street-related accidents in the city, including a 2020 incident in which a man survived after falling through a collapsing sidewalk into an underground rat-filled vault and a 2022 manhole explosion in Times Square that sent crowds running.
The Associated Press contributed to the report.