Woman dead after falling into open manhole in Manhattan

A 56-year-old woman has died after falling into an uncovered manhole on a busy New York City street, police said.

The woman, whose identity is being withheld pending a proper family notification, plunged to her death after she stepped out of her vehicle in Midtown Manhattan on Monday night and fell around three metres (10 feet) into an uncovered utility hole in front of the Cartier Mansion.

“Police responded to a 911 call of an aided in front of 653 5 Avenue, within the confines of the MTN Precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed an unconscious and unresponsive 56-year-old female inside of an uncovered manhole in front of the location,” the New York Police Department (NYPD) told Global News in a statement.

0:32 Flames erupt from manhole covers in New York City’s Hells Kitchen

The woman was transported to the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was pronounced deceased, police added.

The NYPD said that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and there are no arrests at this time as the investigation remains ongoing.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

It was unclear why the manhole was open.

The utility company Con Edison told The Associated Press that it is currently investigating why the manhole was open.

“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.”

1:33 Dog electrocuted after walking over manhole cover

In 2020, a man fell into a Bronx sidewalk when the ground gave out beneath him.

Surveillance video showed the man, Leonard Shoulders, walking to the bus stop on Third Avenue by 183rd Street and as he took a step forward, he suddenly disappeared into the sidewalk.

Shoulders remained in the vault for about 30 minutes as firefighters tried to pull him out of the hole.

After he was pulled out of the hole, Shoulders was wheeled into an ambulance on a stretcher and taken to the St. Barnabas Hospital after suffering injuries to his arms, legs and face.

A spokesperson for St. Barnabas Hospital told the New York Times that Shoulders was in stable condition after his fall.

Shoulder’s brother, Greg White, told CBS New York that rats were crawling on his brother and he couldn’t move after he had fallen into the hole.

“He didn’t want to yell because he was afraid there were going to be rats inside his mouth,” White added.

—with a file from The Associated Press