Distracted by phone, woman falls through open sidewalk door

PLAINFIELD, N.J. — A New Jersey woman was seriously injured Thursday after falling 6 feet through an open sidewalk door as she was distracted while on her cellphone.

The 67-year-old woman is listed in stable condition at a hospital, police said Friday.

She was walking down a street in Plainfield, N.J., while talking on her phone.

CBS New York news reported Friday that the woman's son said she is legally blind and diabetic and she was feeling ill and looked at her phone to determine the time. He also told the news station he was grateful she wasn't killed. 

The woman has not been identified

According to police, she fell through the open basement access door, while on her phone, at Acme Windows. Police said the doors were left open because of a gas line repair in the area.

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Members of the Plainfield Fire Division removed the woman from the hole. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Police said her injuries were not life-threatening.

The owner of the business could not be reached for comment.

According to the Associated Press, Martin Delgadillo told WNBC-TV in New York he was standing outside his barbershop on Somerset Street when he saw the woman plunge through the access door.

"She was looking at her phone — the last minute — she hit the door and fell right in," Delgadillo said.

The owner of Acme Windows said a video of the woman's fall was captured on his security system.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Suzanne Russell on Twitter: @SRussellMyCJ