JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal's firefighter cousin died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack while battling a fire that destroyed a three-family home in New Jersey.
Lawrence Webb, a 37-year-old firefighter with the Newark Fire Department, was pronounced dead at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville after being pulled from the burning building in cardiac arrest, department spokesman Matt Greimel said.
``My cousin was a heroic firefighter that died on the job last night,'' O'Neal said Wednesday. ``Ever since we were little boys, he always wanted to be a fireman. I come from a family of firemen and police officers and stuff like that.
``He died on the job. Like I said, he always wanted to be a fireman. He saved a couple of people, he went back and just had a heart attack.''
O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers face San Antonio on Friday night at Staples Center in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 and have won 17 straight games _ eight to finish the regular season, and nine to begin the playoffs.
``He wasn't out of sorts with us,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said when asked about O'Neal's mood. ``He was somber.''
Webb's father, Willie, retired as a Fire Department captain four years ago and his brother, Bryan, joined the force in November.
``He was a great firefighter, a really class act,'' said Dave Giordano, president of the Newark firefighters union. ``He was just like his father, a prince.''
Webb was one of the first firefighters at the scene of Tuesday's fire and went with his partner to a third-floor apartment before firefighters were called back because of heavy heat and smoke, Capt. Al Mauriello said.
Webb did not return and firefighters found him on the floor of the third-floor apartment.
Webb was the first Newark firefighter to die since 1994 and the third firefighter to die in the state this year.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
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