Woman dies after falling into uncovered manhole in Midtown Manhattan

A 56-year-old woman died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Midtown Manhattan late Monday night, police said.

The woman was found unconscious and unresponsive inside the open manhole in front of 653 Fifth Ave., near East 52nd Street, around 11:19 p.m., the NYPD told Fox News Digital Tuesday.

Police responded to a 911 call for an aided person and found the woman inside the manhole in the Midtown North Precinct. The area is part of one of Manhattan’s busiest shopping and tourist corridors, lined with luxury retailers, office towers and hotels.

EMS took the woman to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.

The identity of the woman is being withheld pending family notification.

Authorities have not said why the manhole was uncovered or whether any work was under way in the area at the time.

Con Edison, the New York City-based energy company, said it is investigating the death.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that a member of the public has died after falling into an open manhole," a company spokesperson told ABC 7. "We are actively investigating how this occurred."

"Our thoughts are with the individual's family, and safety remains our top priority," the statement added.

No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing, according to the NYPD.

The woman’s family arrived at the scene Tuesday morning seeking answers. Family members were seen embracing and consoling one another, CBS News reported.

The woman’s daughter-in-law told CBS News she was "visibly shaking" and said there were no warning signs or covers over the manhole.

The area around the manhole remained partially cordoned off Tuesday morning as investigators examined the scene.