Grandmother dies after falling in uncovered manhole
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MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) — A woman plunged to her death after stepping out of her car into an open manhole in Midtown on Monday night.
She was identified by family members Tuesday as 56-year-old Donike Gocaj from Briarcliff Manor.
Police sources say her death appears to be an accident and no criminality is expected.
Gocaj parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV at West 52nd and Fifth Avenue just before 11:20 p.m.
She stepped out of her car, directly into an uncovered manhole. Gocaj fell down about 10 feet and the steam caused her to go into cardiac arrest.
She was rushed to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Eyewitness News spoke to Gocaj’s family members, who said they are deeply saddened and extremely shocked.
Loved ones said Gocaj was a loving mother to a son and daughter and a loving grandmother to two grandchildren.
Now her family wants answers as to how this could have happened.
Con Edison is investigating why the manhole was left uncovered in the first place. No construction was ongoing, and the manhole cover was discovered about 15 feet away from the opening.
While authorities do not know why the manhole cover was off, they are looking into the possibility that a truck ran over it and caused it to dislodge.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole. We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority,” Con Edison said in a statement.
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