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Queens Fire Investigated As Cover-Up For Murder-Attempted Suicide

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police were probing an apparent murder-attempted suicide at a Bayside, Queens home on 214th Place on Wednesday evening.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Holli Haerr, that firefighters were called to a basement apartment in the house at around 7:30 p.m.

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"It was a small fire in the kitchen area and they opened a bedroom door and found a female lying on the bed, apparently cut to some degree," Brown said.

Firefighters opened a closet door and found a man inside apparently trying to hang himself, Brown said.

Brown said the woman died and the man was hospitalized in serious condition. Fire officials said EMS did CPR and were able to revive the woman, before she succumbed to her injuries.

Police believe the unidentified man stabbed his girlfriend and set the fire at the multi-family home before trying to commit suicide.

Brown said the victims were living together as couple, and nearly died together, CBS 2's Derricke Dennis reported.

The motive is unclear, but a woman who said she is the landlord of the home, tried repeatedly to evict the couple because they could be heard arguing at all hours.

"Gambling. She go every time to go to gambling. They sometime argument, fighting, I heard it," Yung Kim said.

The fire was put out, with damage contained mostly to the interior basement, fire officials said.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, leaving neighbors stunned and asking why.

"It's pretty sickening to tell you the truth...I'll say a prayer for them tonight and wish their families well," one neighbor said.

The fire is under investigation as being intentionally set as part of a cover-up, officials said.

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