Who was Donika Gocaj, the Albanian woman who died after falling into an open manhole in New York?
2026-05-20 08:51:52
TiranaPost
A tragic event has shocked New York City, where 56-year-old Donika Gocaj lost her life after falling into an open manhole in the street, just seconds after getting out of her car.
According to reports, the woman had parked her SUV near Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan when she took a step and disappeared into the open manhole of the power company.
Witnesses said everything happened in an instant.
"She screamed: 'I'm dying,'" a witness told American media.
Donika Gocaj, a mother of two and grandmother of two grandchildren, lived in Briarcliff Manor, Westchester County.
According to the company coned.com, the manhole cover was allegedly displaced just minutes earlier by a heavy truck that passed through the area. The company said it is continuing its investigation to understand exactly how the incident occurred.
The incident occurred near luxury stores at the intersection of 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue and has raised serious concerns about public safety in one of Manhattan's busiest areas.
Kozeta Turishta, Donika's friend, writes about how unsafe New York is and that this is exactly why she doesn't love this city. She expresses her pain for this loss, as does Albërie Hadërgjonaj.
Tiranapost.al
