What was supposed to be a regular late-night stop in Midtown turned fatal on Monday night after a woman stepped out of her SUV and fell straight down an uncovered manhole.
The tragedy went down right around 11:20 PM near 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue, directly outside the massive Cartier flagship store and the Nike shop.
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According to the NYPD and local sources, 56-year-old Donike Gocaj from Westchester County (Briarcliff Manor) had just pulled up and parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV. When she stepped out of her vehicle onto the pavement, she walked right into a gaping, completely unprotected Con Edison utility hole, plunging roughly 10 feet down.
First responders rushed to the scene after a 911 call, finding Gocaj unconscious and unresponsive at the bottom of the pit. Paramedics hurried her to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, but it was too late, she was tragically pronounced dead.
“No Cones, No Warning Signs”
The block is normally one of the most high-end, heavily trafficked spots in Manhattan, but family members who rushed to the scene Tuesday morning are furious, pointing out a massive lack of basic safety measures.Gocaj’s daughter-in-law spoke to reporters, visibly shaken, and confirmed the family is in absolute shock. She noted that there were zero cones, warning signs, or barriers set up around the open pit to alert drivers or pedestrians.
Con Ed released a statement Tuesday morning attempting to address the disaster, saying:
“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.”
But let’s be real, the math isn’t mathing. How does a utility hole in front of one of the richest retail strips in the world just sit wide open at midnight without a single orange cone around it?
The Medical Examiner is currently working to determine the official cause of death, while the city and Con Ed are left trying to explain how a routine night out in Manhattan ended in a freak, fatal disaster.
Keep your eyes glued to the pavement, family. RIP to Donike Gocaj.