A 56-year-old woman died after police say she fell into an open maintenance hole on a busy street in Midtown Manhattan, authorities said, as investigators looked at how the cover ended up displaced. Police identified the woman as Donike Gocaj and said she fell in shortly before 11:30 p.m. Monday near Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street.
Police said Gocaj parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV next to the maintenance hole and exited the vehicle, then fell into the open area after taking a few steps away from the car. Firefighters pulled her out of the hole and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said.
Con Edison said it was reviewing the circumstances and that surveillance-camera footage appeared to show the hole cover was dislodged by a multi-axle truck that drove over it about 12 minutes before Gocaj fell in. In a statement, a company spokesperson said, “We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles. Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority.”
The incident happened in an upscale shopping area that includes a Cartier store, about four blocks from Trump Tower, according to police. Police said Gocaj lived in Briarcliff Manor, a suburb of New York City.
Witnesses described seeing the fall unfold and said the site did not appear to be blocked off. Carlton Wood told the New York Post that he saw the woman fall into the hole after she walked a couple of steps away from her vehicle and that he ran over and called 911, adding that he estimated she fell 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters). Wood said the cover was near the hole and that it appeared very hot inside, and he said there were no signs of work and no barrier around the area.
Wood said the woman was “just in the hole, screaming that she was dying. Over and over she was like, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying,’” according to his account. He also said the site was not blocked off.
The discovery renewed concerns among New Yorkers about the hazards of uncovered maintenance openings. City resident Brady Metzger said falling into maintenance holes is “a big fear,” adding, “It is a big fear. I mean, I’m more scared of getting pushed into the (subway) tracks than I am of the manhole covers. But I did hear about that incident in Midtown, and yeah, it’s scary.” Other residents said they had heard about similar incidents nearby.
Relatives of Gocaj told WABC-TV that they were shocked and saddened by her death and said they were seeking more information. The city’s chief medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death as the investigation continues.