New York City Police and utility officials said a 56-year-old woman died after falling into an uncovered maintenance hole in Midtown Manhattan, near Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street, prompting an investigation into how the opening went unprotected. Police said Donike Gocaj parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV beside the hole on Monday night shortly before 11:30 p.m., exited the vehicle, and then fell in.
Investigators said Gocaj was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead after firefighters pulled her out. Police did not describe what she may have struck as she fell, but they said the incident occurred on a street in an area known for major shops and offices, about four blocks from Trump Tower.
Con Edison said it was reviewing details of what happened and that, while rare, manhole covers can be displaced by heavy vehicles. In a statement, a company spokesperson said surveillance camera footage appeared to show that the cover was dislodged by a multi-axle truck that drove over it about 12 minutes before Gocaj fell into the hole.
Police described the scene as a busy roadway where the maintenance opening was not blocked off and where there were no active signs of work nearby. They said the hole was near the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street, and they identified Gocaj as a Briarcliff Manor resident.
Carlton Wood, who told the New York Post that he saw the woman fall, described running to her after she went into the opening. Wood estimated that she fell about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) and said she was “in the hole, screaming that she was dying,” repeating that she was dying.
Wood said he called 911 and described the cover as near the hole, where it appeared very hot inside. He also said the site was not blocked off and that there were no signs of work.
Relatives of Gocaj told WABC-TV they were shocked and saddened by her death and were seeking more information. The city’s chief medical examiner’s office was expected to determine the cause of death.
The death also highlighted a common public concern among New Yorkers about falling into maintenance holes, people said. City resident Brady Metzger said it was a “big fear,” though he said he was also more scared of being pushed onto subway tracks; he said he had heard about a Midtown manhole incident and found it troubling.
Officials said they were investigating how the cover became dislodged and whether the truck’s passage played a role. Con Edison said safety remained its “top priority,” and police said their investigation continued.