A woman fell to her death in New York City after she accidentally stepped into an open manhole, authorities said Tuesday. The 56-year-old woman, Donika Gocaj, had parked her car in midtown Manhattan when she walked into the manhole late Monday, a police official said. The hole, which was about 10 feet deep, was near the Cartier store on Fifth Avenue. Authorities said it was steaming at the time the woman fell. Officers found the woman unconscious and unresponsive, the police department said. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
The manhole belongs to Con Edison, a local utility company. In a statement, the company said video showed the hole cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck drove over it. Twelve minutes later, the company said, the woman parked her car nearby. “While this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles,” the company said. “Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority.”
In a statement, the office of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said city agencies are working with the utility to support the emergency response and conduct a full investigation. “Every question must be asked and answered so that no New Yorker experiences a tragedy like this again,” the mayor’s office said.
