WOMAN, 56, DIES AFTER FALLING INTO OPEN CON EDISON MANHOLE IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN

May 19, 2026 — New York, NY
A 56-year-old Westchester woman died late Monday night after she stepped out of her parked SUV and dropped roughly 10 feet into an uncovered Con Edison manhole on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, the NYPD said.

Police responded to a 911 call at 5th Avenue and East 52nd Street at 11:19 p.m. on May 18, in front of the Cartier flagship store. Officers found the woman unconscious and unresponsive at the bottom of the hole. FDNY emergency responders extracted her and she was transported to New York-Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The victim was identified by family members as Donike Gocaj of Briarcliff Manor, New York. Police sources told ABC News she had parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV at the curb just before 11:20 p.m. and stepped directly into the open hole when she exited the vehicle. The NYC Medical Examiner’s office has not released an official cause of death. Police sources told ABC News they believe steam from the manhole caused her to go into cardiac arrest after the fall. Police sources told WABC the death appears to be accidental and no criminality is suspected.

The manhole cover was found approximately 15 feet from the opening. No construction was active at the intersection at the time, according to police sources.

In a statement, Con Edison said: “We have reviewed video footage from the area which suggests that the cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck turning onto 52nd Street from 5th Avenue drove over it. Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby.” The utility added: “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.”