Lawsuit Filed Against Con Edison After Woman Dies in Manhole Accident
WHO:
Gothamist - Donike Goncaj, a 56-year-old Westchester grandmother, is the victim.
ABC News - Jashar Kameraj, Goncaj's domestic partner, witnessed the incident.
ABC News - Goncaj's son is filing the lawsuit on behalf of her estate.
WHAT:
ABC News - Goncaj died of scald burns and thermal inhalation from the steam after falling into the manhole.
ABC News - The lawsuit states that someone falling to their death in a manhole "ordinarily does not occur in the absence of negligence."
ABC News - Con Edison noted that "while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles."
Gothamist - The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Con Edison.
ABC News - Goncaj died after falling into an open manhole, suffering "severe, horrifying, and catastrophic injuries."
ABC News - The lawsuit alleges negligence, carelessness, and reckless disregard for safety by Con Edison.
ABC News - The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
WHERE:
Gothamist - The incident occurred at 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
ABC News - The lawsuit was filed in New York State Supreme Court.
WHEN:
ABC News - Goncaj fell into the manhole on May 18, 2026.
ABC News - The lawsuit was filed on a Thursday following the incident.
WHY:
ABC News - The lawsuit claims Con Edison "should have known that dislodged and displaced manhole covers presented a recurring and foreseeable danger to pedestrians."
ABC News - The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Goncaj's death an accident.
HOW:
ABC News - The lawsuit contends that Con Edison and its contractors "had a duty to maintain" the manhole "in reasonably safe conditions," including warning pedestrians and providing a ladder or staircase to exit it.
ABC News - The lawsuit contends that Con Edison and its contractors had a duty to maintain the manhole in reasonably safe conditions, including providing a ladder or staircase for exit.
ABC News - Con Edison stated that a truck ran over the manhole and dislodged the cover.
(UPDATED July 17, 2026 23:14 UTC)
A tragic incident has occurred where Goncaj died from scald burns and thermal inhalation after falling into a manhole. A lawsuit has been filed, asserting that such a fall typically indicates negligence, as it claims Con Edison and its contractors failed to maintain the manhole in safe conditions and did not provide adequate warnings or an exit. Con Edison acknowledged that while these incidents are rare, heavy vehicles can displace manhole covers, leading to dangerous situations.
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(UPDATED July 17, 2026 22:23 UTC)
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Con Edison by the family of Donike Goncaj, a 56-year-old grandmother from Westchester who tragically died after falling into an open manhole in Midtown Manhattan on May 18, 2026. The lawsuit, initiated by Goncaj's son on behalf of her estate, alleges negligence and reckless disregard for safety, claiming that Con Edison should have recognized the dangers posed by dislodged manhole covers. According to Con Edison, a truck ran over the manhole, dislodging the cover, but the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for what the family describes as "severe, horrifying, and catastrophic injuries."