Officials have named the woman who died after falling into an uncovered manhole in New York City, and investigators have also outlined what they believe happened shortly before the fatal incident.
Multiple outlets have identified the victim as Donike Gocaj, 56, of Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County. She died in midtown Manhattan after getting out of her vehicle and plunging into an open manhole.
ABC 7 reports that Gocaj — who often went by “Donika” — was a mother of two and a grandmother of two, with her social media documenting family milestones including birthdays, weddings, and trips.
The incident occurred on Fifth Avenue late Monday night (May 18). The NYPD said Gocaj had stepped out of her Mercedes-Benz SUV when she fell roughly 10 feet into an uncovered manhole owned by an energy company at around 11.19pm. Witnesses described the moment as shocking.
One person who said they saw the fall while heading to work told ABC that the woman “took one step forward and just disappeared”.
“She was screaming, ‘I’m dying,’ that’s what I kept hearing her screaming over and over,” the witness told the outlet. “She wasn’t distracted, she didn’t walk onto a construction site, I mean, she parked her car, stepped out of her car and dropped right into the manhole.”
According to ABC 7, steam in the manhole may have contributed to cardiac arrest. While first responders arrived within minutes, the outlet says it took about 20 minutes to get her out of the opening.
The New York Times reported that bystanders tried to help immediately after the fall, including people searching for a ladder and one man who lowered himself into the manhole in an attempt to reach her.
Gocaj was taken to hospital, but she was pronounced dead. People reports the manhole is owned by Con Edison, which has shared a preliminary account of how the cover may have been displaced.
Con Edison said it will “continue to investigate” the circumstances, but indicated its initial review points to a vehicle strike shortly before the tragedy.
They said: “We have reviewed video footage from the area, which suggests that the cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck turning onto 52nd Street from 5th Avenue drove over it.”
Con Edison’s statement added: “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.”
The office of Mayor Mamdani said in a statement: “Our condolences are with the family of the woman who lost her life in this devastating incident. City agencies are working with Con Ed to support the emergency response and conduct a full investigation into what occurred. Every question must be asked and answered so that no New Yorker experiences a tragedy like this again.”