Woman dies after falling into uncovered New York City manhole
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- A 56-year-old woman, Donike Gocaj, died after falling approximately 10 feet into an uncovered maintenance hole on Fifth Avenue in New York City late Monday night.
- Police found Gocaj unconscious in the manhole and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital; no criminal activity is suspected, and an investigation is ongoing.
- Utility company Con Edison stated that video footage suggests a truck may have dislodged the manhole cover about 12 minutes before the incident, highlighting that such occurrences, while rare, can happen with heavy vehicles.
- Gocaj's family reported there were no cones, warning signs, or barriers around the uncovered hole, raising concerns about safety measures at the site.
- The New York City Department of Environmental Protection oversees the city's extensive sewer and manhole infrastructure, with about 100,000 active manholes in the city.