Con Edison said it is investigating why the utility hole near Fifth Avenue was uncovered.
NEW YORK — A 56-year-old Westchester County woman died after stepping out of a parked Mercedes-Benz SUV and falling into an uncovered manhole in Midtown Manhattan late Monday, police said.
The fall happened just before 11:20 p.m. May 18 near East 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue, one of Manhattan’s busiest retail corridors. Police said the woman dropped about 10 feet into a Con Edison utility hole and was found unconscious and unresponsive before she was taken to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Authorities had not released the woman’s name Tuesday while they worked to notify relatives. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner will determine her cause of death. Police said no arrests had been made and the investigation remained open. Con Edison said it also had opened an inquiry into how the manhole was left exposed.
The woman had parked near the Cartier store at 653 Fifth Ave. and was getting out of the SUV when she stepped into the hole, police said. Emergency crews pulled her from the utility space and rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. “We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole,” a Con Edison spokesperson said.
Investigators were reviewing why the cover was not in place. ABC7 reported that no construction was underway at the site and that the manhole cover was found about 15 feet from the opening. Family members told reporters they were shocked and wanted answers. One relative said there were no warning signs or barriers around the hole.
The intersection sits in a high-foot-traffic area lined with luxury stores, offices and hotels. Overnight video from the scene showed police tape and emergency vehicles near the resealed manhole and the woman’s vehicle. NBC New York reported that the street reopened early Tuesday after the scene was cleared.
Con Edison said safety remained its top priority and that it was “actively investigating how this occurred.” Police said the case remains under investigation, with the medical examiner’s findings expected to answer how the fall caused the woman’s fatal injuries.
The woman’s identity remained withheld Tuesday pending family notification. The next major update is expected after investigators determine why the cover was off the utility hole.
Author note: Last updated May 19, 2026.