NEW YORK — A 56-year-old woman fell into an open maintenance hole on a busy New York City street and died, police and utility officials said as they investigated how it could have happened.
The woman parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV right next to the maintenance hole Monday night near the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan and fell in after exiting the vehicle shortly before 11:30 p.m., police said. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital after firefighters pulled her out.
It wasn’t immediately clear why the hole was not covered.
The accident happened in an upscale shopping area that includes a Cartier store and is about four blocks from Trump Tower.
Carlton Wood told the New York Post that he saw the woman fall into the hole after she walked a couple of steps away from her vehicle. He said he ran over and called 911. He estimated she fell 10 to 15 feet.
“She was just in the hole, screaming that she was dying. Over and over she was like, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying,’” said the New Jersey resident, who was walking to work at the time.
Wood said the site was not blocked off, there were no signs of work and the cover was near the hole, where it appeared very hot inside.
Police had not released the woman’s name Tuesday afternoon.
The utility company Con Edison said it was investigating the accident.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” the company said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”
Relatives of the woman told WABC-TV that they were shocked and saddened by her death, and they were seeking more information.
The city’s chief medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death.