A 56-year-old woman, Donike Gocaj, died in New York City after falling into an open maintenance hole on a busy Midtown Manhattan street.

Police said she had just parked her SUV near Fifth Avenue and East 52nd Street before stepping out and falling into the uncovered hole shortly before 11:30 p.m.

Utility company Con Edison said surveillance footage suggests a heavy truck may have dislodged the manhole cover minutes before the incident.

Emergency responders pulled her out and she was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, while investigators continue to determine the cause of death, the Independent has reported.

The tragedy has raised safety concerns among residents, as officials review how the manhole was left exposed in a high-traffic area.