MANHATTAN (VINnews) – A 56-year-old woman fell into an open Con Edison manhole and died late Monday night in Midtown Manhattan, according to police and local reports.

The woman, who was from Westchester County, had just parked her Mercedes-Benz SUV near East 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City when the incident occurred shortly before 11:20 p.m., according to the New York Post and WABC.

Authorities said she stepped out of the vehicle and plunged about 10 feet into the uncovered utility hole near several luxury retail stores, including Cartier and Nike.

BREAKING: Woman Dies After Falling Into Open Manhole in Midtown Manhattan

11:30 p.m. | E. 52nd St. & 5th Ave.
Woman reportedly stepped out of her vehicle and plunged into the hole.

Emergency crews rushed her to hospital, but she was pronounced dead.

Video by Dakota Santiago |… pic.twitter.com/djkYiysoIz

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) May 19, 2026

First responders arrived to find the woman unconscious and unresponsive inside the manhole, police said. She was removed from the hole and transported to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.

Her identity has not yet been publicly released as authorities work to notify relatives.

Con Edison said it is investigating how the manhole was left uncovered.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” a spokesperson for the utility company said in a statement cited by the New York Post. “We are actively investigating how this occurred. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, and safety remains our top priority.”

The city medical examiner is expected to determine the official cause of death.