A female driver plunged to her death down an uncovered manhole in Midtown Monday night, police said.
The 56-year-old woman from Westchester County fell after stepping out of her parked Mercedes-Benz SUV around 11:20 p.m. near Cartier and Nike stores at East 52nd Street and 5th Avenue.
She fell about 10 feet, officials said.
A woman has died after she fell into an open manhole in Midtown Monday night. Robert Mecea for New York Post
Con Ed workers repair a manhole cover at 52nd Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Robert Mecea for New York Post
First responders arrived to find the woman unconscious and unresponsive inside the open Con Edison utility hole, cops said.
After being pulled out, she was rushed to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.
The victim’s name is being withheld as police contact her next of kin.
Con Edison said it is investigating why the hole was not covered.
“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 told The Post.
The victim died from her injuries after being transported to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Robert Mecea for New York Post
Con Ed workers repair a manhole cover on 52nd Street on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A woman died after falling into the uncovered manhole. Robert Mecea for 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 medical examiner will determine the woman’s cause of death, police said.
