A 56-year-old woman died after falling into an open manhole while exiting her vehicle in Midtown Manhattan, in an event that occurred Monday night in a busy area of ​​New York.

The victim was identified as Donike Gocaj, a resident of Briarcliff Manor, Westchester County.

According to sources cited by ABC News, the woman parked her Mercedes-Benz van at the intersection of West 52 Street and Fifth Avenue around 11:20 p.m.

He fell about 10 feet into the well

Authorities indicated that, while getting out of the vehicle, Gocaj accidentally stepped on a manhole that was uncovered and fell approximately 10 feet into the pipe.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene and transported the victim to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Sources indicated that there was no active construction work in the area at the time of the accident.

Likewise, the manhole cover was found about 15 feet away from the opening, a circumstance that is now part of the investigation.

Con Edison opened an investigation

The energy company Con Edison reported this Tuesday that it began an investigation to determine how the incident occurred.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that a person died after falling into an open manhole. We are actively investigating how this occurred," the company said in a statement.

The company also expressed condolences to the victim's family and assured that safety continues to be a priority.

Authorities have not revealed, so far, whether there are signs of negligence or how long the sewer had been open before the accident.