Woman Dies After Falling Into Uncovered NYC Manhole

A woman died after stepping out of her car and falling 10 feet (3 meters) into an uncovered maintenance hole on Fifth Avenue in New York City, police said.

Officers responding to an emergency call in Manhattan shortly before midnight Monday found the woman unconscious and unresponsive at the bottom of the hole.

The woman was identified by family members to U.S. media as Donike Gocaj, 56, of Briarcliff Manor, New York. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead, the New York Police Department said.

The utility company Con Edison said it is investigating why the maintenance hole was left uncovered.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” Con Edison said in a statement to CBS, the BBC’s media partner.

“We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority,” the company said.

The BBC has contacted Con Edison for additional comment.

Gocaj’s family told CBS at the scene Tuesday that they are struggling to understand how the tragedy could have happened.

The woman’s daughter-in-law, visibly shaken, said there were no cones, warning signs or barriers around the maintenance hole.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, though no criminal activity is suspected at this time.

The city medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death.

Open manholes are a recurring problem in the city.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection manages the city’s water supply and wastewater infrastructure, including thousands of miles of sewer lines and about 100,000 active manholes, according to its website.

The department has received more than 700 service requests regarding open manholes so far this year, the New York Times reports.