A woman died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Midtown Manhattan late Monday night, police told Fox News Digital.
The 56-year-old woman was found unconscious and unresponsive inside an uncovered manhole in front of 653 Fifth Ave., near East 52nd Street, around 11:19 p.m., the NYPD told Fox News Digital Tuesday.
Police responded to a 911 call for an aided person and arrived to find the woman inside the manhole within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct. The area is part of one of Manhattan’s busiest shopping and tourist corridors, lined with luxury retailers, office towers and hotels.
EMS transported the woman to New York – Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, police said. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.
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The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending proper family notification.
Authorities have not said why the manhole was uncovered or whether any work was being done in the area at the time of the incident.
New York City-based energy company, Con Edison, said it is continuing to investigate the woman’s death and reviewed video from the area that appears to show the manhole cover becoming dislodged after a multi-axle truck turned onto East 52nd Street from Fifth Avenue and drove over it.
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The utility company said the woman parked her vehicle nearby about 12 minutes later before the fatal incident occurred.
“Following this tragic incident, we are continuing to investigate how this occurred,” a Con Edison spokesperson said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
“We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles,” the spokesperson added.
“Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority.”
No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to the NYPD.
CBS News reported that the woman’s family arrived at the scene Tuesday morning seeking answers about how the incident happened. The outlet reported family members were seen embracing and consoling one another.
The woman’s daughter-in-law was “visibly shaking” as she spoke with CBS News and claimed there were no warning signs or covers over the manhole as the family continued trying to process the incident.
The area around the manhole remained partially cordoned off Tuesday morning as investigators continued examining the scene.
