A beloved grandmother who died after falling down an uncovered manhole in New York City was on her way to work as a cleaner when the tragedy occurred. Donike Gocaj, 56, parked her Mercedes on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Monday night and fell into the open drain just seconds after stepping out of her vehicle. Emergency services rushed to her aid at around 11:20 p.m., but she was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Victim's Background
Sources told the New York Post and New York Daily News that Gocaj was employed as an overnight cleaner by United Building Maintenance, a company that contracts janitorial work. It remains unclear which building she was assigned to clean on the night of her death. The Daily Mail has reached out to United Building Maintenance for further information.
A family friend described Gocaj as a pillar of the Albanian community in New York. Born in Albania, she was a proud mother and grandmother who had recently celebrated her son's wedding. The friend stated that Gocaj was "so happy" about her son's marriage, and her sudden death has left the community feeling "horrible."
Autopsy Findings
The New York Medical Examiner's office reported that Gocaj's cause of death was due to intense heat inside the manhole and trauma from the fall. She suffered scald burns on her body and blunt force trauma to her torso. The Daily Mail has requested the full autopsy report.
City law requires that manholes be closed or barricaded and clearly marked if left uncovered. Con Edison, New York's power provider responsible for the manhole, stated that there was no construction work at the site and that an investigation is ongoing.
Con Edison's Response
A Con Edison spokesman expressed deep sadness over the incident, 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." The company later stated that video footage suggests the cover was likely dislodged when a multi-axle truck turned onto the street. Approximately 12 minutes later, Gocaj parked her car nearby. Con Edison noted that while such occurrences are rare, manhole covers can be displaced by heavy vehicles.
Previous Reports of Uncovered Manhole
According to the Post, two individuals reported the uncovered manhole to authorities two weeks before the fatal accident. Rhonda Roland Shearer, an artist and nonprofit founder, noticed the open drain while walking along Fifth Avenue on May 3. She said, "I said, 'Oh my God, this is, in great likelihood, the same cover. Or multiple covers in the same area.'" The following day, another person called 311 to report a skewed or missing lid.
Shearer has since reached out to the police in Westchester, where Gocaj lived, to connect with her family in case they decide to file a lawsuit. She added, "The bottom line is this poor woman was tortured in her last moments in life, and that is just horrifying."
Witness Account
Fire safety director Carlton Wood, who witnessed the tragedy, described the horrifying scene. "I saw her step out and close the door, she took one step forward and fell straight through the manhole, just disappeared into the ground," he told the Daily Mail. Wood rushed over and heard Gocaj screaming, "I'm dying, I'm dying" repeatedly as she lay injured at the bottom of the hole. She was sitting in a steaming hot puddle of water, looking up and begging for help.
Wood called 911 while other witnesses tried to lower a man into the hole by his arms so Gocaj could grab his feet and be pulled out. However, by the time Wood finished his call and helped hold the rescuer, it became clear that Gocaj was too deep for them to rescue. When emergency services arrived, firefighters took about 20 minutes to lift her out, but Wood noted that her legs were already black and bloodied. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
An investigation into why the manhole was uncovered remains ongoing.
