A freak accident in midtown Manhattan claimed the life of a 56-year-old woman just before midnight Tuesday, authorities say. Police say the woman, later identified as Donika Gocaj, stepped into an open manhole when she closed her car door to exit after parking on the side of 52nd Street, in front of the Cartier store on Fifth Avenue. The hole was about 10 feet deep. Emergency crews quickly worked to get her out. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. Gocaj’s cause of death is pending confirmation from the medical examiner’s office. It’s not clear why the manhole was unsealed. Con Edison says it is was investigating the incident, but said a truck driving over the manhole may have moved it. “We have reviewed video footage from the area which suggests that the cover was dislodged after a multi-axle truck turning onto 52nd Street from 5th Avenue drove over it. Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby,” Con Edison said in a statement. “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.”  Authorities say the manhole was steaming at the time the woman fell. Her car was seen cordoned off alongside the re-sealed manhole overnight. The street reopened early Tuesday, with the manhole covered. New Yorkers and tourists alike say the tragedy has unlocked a new fear for them. They want answers and accountability. One woman who says she was at the scene when it happened said her mother heard a scream, then she saw paramedics get the victim out. She says she doesn’t understand how such a thing could happen. A spokesperson for City Hall said their condolences were with the woman’s family, and that agencies “are working with Con Ed to support the emergency response and conduct a full investigation into what occurred. Every question must be asked and answered so that no New Yorker experiences a tragedy like this again.” A source within City Hall said Con Edison had an open permit to conduct work on the block at the time of the deadly incident, and that manhole coverings are the responsibility of the utility company. According to 311 data, there were 62 missing manhole complaints between May 1 and May 17. None of those complaints were connected to the area where the woman fell. Some of the complaints were duplicates. The data show some complaints have been fixed, some were unfounded, some have incomplete information, and some require further investigation. ...read more read less