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Open manhole death
A 56-year-old woman identified as Donike Gocaj died after stepping out of her car and falling about 10 feet into an uncovered maintenance hole on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, police said.
“stepping out of her car and falling 10 ft (three metres) down an uncovered maintenance hole on Fifth Avenue”
Officers responded to an emergency call in Midtown and found her unconscious and unresponsive down the manhole just before midnight on Monday, and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Con Edison said it is investigating why the maintenance hole was uncovered, after authorities said the manhole was near the Cartier store on Fifth Avenue and the hole was about 10 feet deep.
NBC News reported the woman parked her car in midtown Manhattan when she walked into the manhole late Monday, and police said the incident happened near 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue.
Utility and witness accounts
Con Edison told media it was “deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” and said it was “actively investigating how this occurred.”
Witness Carlton Wood described the moment he saw the woman step out of her car, saying, "She closed the door behind her, and one step forward, I guess in the direction she was trying to go, and she just disappeared," to CBS News.
CBS News reported police sources said the manhole was for a Con Edison electrical vault, and the city’s rules require manholes to be covered or clearly blocked off to prevent public hazards.
ABC News also quoted Con Edison’s review of video footage, saying it determined “the cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck turning onto 52nd Street from 5th Avenue drove over it.”
Investigation and safety
Authorities said no criminal activity is suspected and the investigation remains ongoing, while the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would determine the cause of death.
“"Following this tragic incident, we are continuing to investigate how this occurred"”
The Guardian reported that Con Edison is investigating why the maintenance hole was left uncovered since no construction was going on nearby, and it said the maintenance hole cover was found about 15ft from the opening.
ABC News said police sources determined the death appears to be an accident, and it quoted Con Edison’s statement that the cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck drove over it.
The Mayor’s Office released a statement saying, "Every question must be asked and answered so that no New Yorker experiences a tragedy like this again," as city agencies worked with Con Ed to support the emergency response and conduct a full investigation.
