New York City: Donike Gocaj, 56, dies after plunging three metres down uncovered manhole
The 56-year-old reportedly plunged to her death after exiting her parked car.
A grandmother has died after falling three metres down a manhole in New York City.
The 56-year-old parked her car less than one metre away from the uncovered manhole which she reportedly fell into after exiting her vehicle.
When police responded to the 911 call about 11.20pm local time on Monday, she was unconscious and unresponsive.
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The woman has been identified as Donike Gocaj, a grandmother of two.
It is understood Ms Gocaj was alone in her Mercedes-Benz, which was parked at the intersection of 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue.
Witness Carlton Wood described the terrifying incident to CBS News.
“She closed the door behind her, and one step forward, I guess in the direction she was trying to go, and she just disappeared,” he said.
Mr Wood said he called emergency services while other witnesses attempted to help Ms Gocaj.
“Somebody had a short ladder, but that wasn’t enough, so it was significantly deep,” he said.
“She was screaming she was dying.”
Ms Gocaj leaves behind a daughter, a son, and two grandsons.
The rules of New York City state that manholes must be covered or cautioned off in order to prevent tragedies such as these.
However, Mr Wood said this was not the case when Ms Gocaj exited her vehicle.
“She wasn’t on her phone. She wasn’t distracted,” he said.
“There wasn’t protective things around this hole. This could have happened to me.”
Utility company Con Edison is responsible for the maintenance hole and has launched an investigation into why it was uncovered.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” a spokesperson said.
“We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”
Early investigations have revealed that the manhole cover was likely dislodged by a truck.
“Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby,” a Con Edison spokesperson said.
“We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles.”
The company has about 266,000 manholes, service boxes, and vaults across New York City.
While an investigation is underway, police do not suspect a crime has taken place.
