New York — A 56-year-old woman fell into an open maintenance pit on a busy New York City street and died, police and utility officials said as they investigated how it happened.
Police said the woman parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV next to a pit stop near the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan on Monday night and collapsed after getting out of the car shortly before 11:30 p.m. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
It was not immediately clear why the hole was not covered.
Utility company Con Edison said it was investigating the incident.
The company said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of a member of the public after falling into an open pit.” “Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”
The woman’s relatives told WABC-TV they were shocked and saddened by her death, and were searching for more information.
Officers responding to the 911 call found the woman unresponsive at the bottom of the hole, city police said. The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.