A 56-year-old woman has died after plunging into an open manhole in the centre of New York City.
Donike Gocaj fell between 10 and 15 feet into the uncovered hole near East 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue after stepping out of her parked Mercedes-Benz.
Tragedy struck at approximately 11:20pm outside the city's flagship Cartier store.
"She was just in the hole screaming that she was dying," said Carl Wood, a bystander who witnessed the horror fall.
Mr Wood, a fire safety specialist heading to work, rushed over and dialled 911 while Ms Gocaj cried out for assistance from below.
By the time firefighters reached the scene minutes later, her screams had fallen silent.
The incident remains under investigation, with questions surrounding why the manhole was left exposed.
Con Edison has stated that video footage suggests a multi-axle truck dislodged the cover while turning onto 52nd Street from Fifth Avenue.
"Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby," a company spokesperson said.
"We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles. Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority."
Workers were seen tending to the now-closed manhole after the 56-year-old's death
|FNTV
There were no cones or barricades marking the hazard when the 56-year-old arrived - while the cover was sitting beside the open hole.
Mr Wood described how Ms Gocaj took just a few steps after closing her car door before vanishing into the hole.
"You know, it was like in those cartoons. She just disappeared into the hole," he said.
Other bystanders desperately tried to rescue her.
One man tried lowering himself so she could grab his legs, while another fetched a ladder that proved too short.
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Mr Wood said conditions inside appeared dangerous, with Gocaj appearing to be lying in scalding water.
"Like maybe steaming hot water. So I'm not sure, but I'm assuming maybe she was burning up down there. Bad air down there," he recalled.
Firefighters wore masks while extracting her unconscious body.
Burn sheet wrappers remained visible at the scene on Tuesday.
The tragedy has shaken workers in the busy Midtown district.
Donike Gocaj fell between 10 and 15 feet into the uncovered hole (pictured) near East 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue
|"Somebody messed up," Alex, a union carpenter on his lunch break, told the New York Post. "Usually they are covered up, they are protected. I've never seen a manhole by itself open never."
Michael D, 56, who has worked in the area for twenty years, called it a terrible mistake.
"I have eyes at the back of my head on the streets. Too many things happening," he said.
Susan Siroto, a clinical social worker, travelled to the scene to see what had happened.
"It's something that could have been avoided. It didn't have to happen," she said.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner is investigating the cause of death.