Donike Gocaj, Westchester, NY woman, 56, dies after falling down uncovered Con Edison Manhattan manhole in midtown as authorities investigate cause and culpability of tragedy as Con Edison issues statement.
A female driver plunged to her death after stepping into uncovered Manhattan manhole upon alighting from her vehicle, Monday night, police said.
Donike Gocaj, 56, was killed on Monday evening after parking her car outside Cartier’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue after falling down 10 feet the open hole in a freak accident.
Gocaj, who lives in a $1.1 million home in Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, was described as ‘a loving son to a son and daughter and a loving grandmother to two grandchildren,’ according to a loved one who spoke to ABC7.
Why was Con Edison manhole uncovered?
First responders arrived to find the woman unconscious and unresponsive inside the open Con Edison utility hole, cops said.
After being pulled out, she was rushed to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.
The victim’s name is being withheld as police contact her next of kin.
Con Edison said they were still investigating why the manhole was uncovered. They said no construction was happening at the intersection at the time, and the manhole cover was discovered about 15 feet away from the opening.
‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,’ a spokesperson for the utility company told the nypost.
‘We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.’
The medical examiner will determine the woman’s cause of death, police said.
