Woman dies after falling from her car down open manhole in New York

Wednesday, 20 May 2026

A woman has died after falling into an open maintenance hole on a busy New York City street, with officials launching an investigation into how the accident could have happened.

The woman, who was identified by family members as 56-year-old Donike Gocaj, parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV right next to the manhole near the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street in Manhattan on Monday night (local time) and fell in after exiting the vehicle shortly before 11.30pm, police said.

She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Relatives told local news outlet WABC-TV that Gocaj was a loving mother and grandmother. They were shocked and saddened by her death, they said, and were seeking more information.

It wasn’t immediately clear why the hole was not covered, and utility company Con Edison said it was investigating the accident.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” the company said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”

City police said officers responding to a 911 call found the woman unresponsive at the bottom of the hole. The city’s chief medical examiner's office will determine the cause of death.

– with AP

An earlier version of this story said the woman fell from a BMW. It was a Mercedes-Benz SUV. (Amended at 9.40am on May 20, 2026)