Donike Gocaj Dies After Falling Into Open Midtown Manhattan Manhole

Donike Gocaj, 56, died Monday night after stepping out of her Mercedes Benz SUV and falling into an uncovered manhole at West 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Police said the fall was about 10 feet.

Family members identified Gocaj on Tuesday as a Briarcliff Manor resident. She was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian Hospital after being rushed there.

West 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue

Police said Gocaj parked just before 11:20 p.m. and stepped into the opening moments later. The manhole cover was found about 15 feet away from the opening, and no construction was ongoing at the location.

The setting gives the case an unusual edge: a fatal fall in one of Manhattan’s busiest commercial corridors, with the cover displaced and no active work site visible. That leaves the open manhole itself at the center of the inquiry.

Con Edison investigation

Con Edison said it was investigating why the manhole was left uncovered. In a statement, the company said, “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole. We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual's family, and safety remains our top priority,”

Gocaj was a mother to one son and one daughter and a grandmother to two grandchildren. Loved ones described her as a loving mother and grandmother, and family members said they were deeply saddened and extremely shocked.

Donike Gocaj family

The immediate issue for nearby workers, drivers, and pedestrians is the uncovered opening itself: the city location, the displaced cover, and the utility’s investigation into how the manhole was left open. Gocaj’s death is now the fact that will drive that review.