Woman who fell into Con Ed manhole in NYC died from scald burns, blunt force trauma

A 56-year-old woman died after falling about 10 feet into an open Con Edison manhole in Midtown near Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street. City medical examiners determined the cause of death was scald burns with inhalational thermal injury and blunt force trauma to the torso. The manner of death was ruled an accident. Police said she fell after getting out of her parked car on Monday night, with no construction happening at the time. First responders found her unconscious around 11:15 p.m. and she was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Con Edison said it had no updates on its investigation and previously described the incident as rare, citing video footage that a multi-axle truck dislodged the manhole cover about 12 minutes earlier.

"The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Donike Gocaj, 56, died of "scald burns with inhalational thermal injury and blunt force trauma of [the] torso," according to a spokesperson. The office ruled her manner of death an accident."

"Gocaj died after falling about 10 feet down the manhole near Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street on Monday night, police said. NYPD officials said she had just gotten out of her parked car when she plunged into the opening, and no construction was happening in the intersection at the time."

"First responders called to the scene around 11:15 p.m. found Gocaj unconscious. She was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. A spokesperson for Con Ed on Thursday said the utility company did not have any updates on its investigation into the incident."

"The company previously said video footage indicated a "multi-axle truck" had dislodged the manhole cover about 12 minutes before Gocaj parked her car on the street. Spokespeople described the incident as a "rare occurrence.""

Read at Gothamist