Woman plunges to her death down open NYC manhole after stepping out of a car

A woman is dead after plunging into an uncovered manhole in New York City.

It happened around 11:19 p.m. Monday at 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

"She just disappeared"

The woman, identified as 56-year-old Donike Gocaj, of Briarcliff Manor, stepped out of a car and fell into a Con Edison manhole that's 10 feet deep, police say.

"She closed the door behind her, and one step forward, I guess in the direction she was trying to go, and she just disappeared," witness Carlton Wood said.

Wood said he called 911, and several other good Samaritans tried to help Gocaj while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.

"Somebody had a short ladder, but that wasn't enough, so it was significantly deep," he said. "She was screaming she was dying."

Exclusive video shows the FDNY's elaborate operation involving a ladder to pull her out. Officers found Gocaj unconscious and unresponsive. She was rushed to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Why the manhole was uncovered

According to police sources, the manhole was for a Con Edison electrical vault.

Gocaj's daughter-in-law told CBS News New York there were no cones, warning signs, or barriers around the manhole.

City rules require manholes to be covered or clearly blocked off to prevent exactly this kind of tragedy and public hazard.

"The cover has to be placed, and it has to be placed securely so that it can't be removed or it can't accidentally be removed," said attorney Christopher J. Gorayeb. "Unfortunately, this is an accident that isn't all that rare in the city of New York."

Con Edison said it has reviewed footage of the incident, and they believe the manhole cover was dislodged when a truck turned onto 52nd Street and drove over it. 

"Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby," a Con Ed spokesperson said. "We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles. Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority."     

"This could have happened to me"

Video from the scene shows a Mercedes parked on the street. A manhole, now covered and cordoned off, appears to be just a foot or two from the driver's side door.

Gocaj's family visited the scene Tuesday morning, trying to understand how this unthinkable tragedy occurred. They could be seen hugging and consoling each other.

The family said Gocaj leaves behind a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.

"She wasn't in her phone. She wasn't distracted," Wood said. "There wasn't protective things around this hole. This could have happened to me."

The NYPD said no criminality is suspected and the investigation is ongoing.