A woman falls into a manhole in New York City and dies. Imagine running daily errands and then dying because you didn’t see where you stepped. That’s what happened to 56-year-old Donike Gocaj, who died after falling into an uncovered manhole. The incident took place on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan late at night on May 18. According to the NY Post, it is one of New York City’s busiest streets and is home to luxury stores like Cartier and Nike. The location is also four blocks from Trump Tower.

Gocaj parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV right next to the hole and fell into it after exiting the car and walking a few steps. According to the New York City Police Department, Gocaj fell roughly 10 feet into an open maintenance hole. First responders found her unresponsive and unconscious inside the hole near East 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

Gocaj, who lives in Briarcliff Manor, New York, was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center immediately after she was pulled out of the manhole and pronounced dead.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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According to the utility company Con Edison, the manhole cover was dislodged by a multi-axle truck that drove over it just 12 minutes before Gocaj fell in. A company spokesperson said in a statement:

“Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby.”

“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.”

Police said no criminal activity is suspected at this time, although the investigation is still ongoing. The medical examiner officer is expected to reveal the cause of death soon.

Meanwhile, witness Carlton Wood told the NY Post that he saw the horrifying fall happen in real time while walking to work. He said:

“She was just in the hole, screaming that she was dying. Over and over she was like, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying.'”

He added that there were no warning cones, barricades, or signs indicating danger near the opening.

 

Gocaj’s relatives were shaken and emotional by her death. Her daughter-in-law spoke to CBS this week and questioned how such a dangerous opening could have been left exposed on one of Manhattan’s busiest streets. A former medical examiner, Judy Melinek, also described that falling into a manhole is one of the worst ways to die in New York, as it can expose the victim to boiling steam. She recalled a 2002 case where a bartender was thrown into a manhole after a fight. He screamed for help, but rescuers couldn’t climb down as the temperatures in the steam tunnel reached 300 degrees.

Even when the bartender was taken out four hours later, his body temperature was 125 degrees. The tragedy also sparked discussion online as many New Yorkers came out to express fears about aging city infrastructure and open manholes.