Thursday, October 1, 2026
What started as a routine drive to basketball camp Friday morning quickly turned into an effort to help a woman and her two dogs after 11-year-old Lily Wassenberg spotted a fire at a Smith Street home.
Lily and her mother, Sarah Wassenberg, were driving to the John A. Anderson Recreation Center for Lily’s last day of basketball camp around 8:45 a.m. when Lily noticed something unusual.
“We were just driving to camp and we turned onto one of the blocks here and I saw that the top floor of the house was on fire,” Lily said.
Lily said she suspected they would end up helping someone when she first saw the fire because she did not see anyone else outside.
“I kind of knew that we were going to end up helping because I thought no one was really out there and it was just her,” she said. “We were the first ones who saw it.”
Sarah said it took her a moment to process what she was seeing. A window had already blown out, and flames were pouring from it.
“At that point, I knew we had to help quickly because it was going to get bad quick,” Sarah said.
Upon arriving, the two began helping those nearby. They got nearby gardeners out of the way, and Lily spotted the female resident in the backyard with her two dogs. Sarah moved her car to a safe location while Lily called 911.
It was Lily’s first time calling 911, and she said the experience was “kind of nerve-wracking.” The operator told her to stay calm and get her mother, who was outside helping the woman. Lily then handed the phone to Sarah.
Sarah told the 911 operator the fire was significant and that a large response would be needed.
“I’m like, ‘no, this is big,’” she said. “You’re going to need a lot of support.”
When Sarah reached the backyard, the woman was trying to get herself and her dogs to safety. Sarah helped open the gate and assisted the woman in getting her dogs out of the backyard and into their car. The dogs included a large golden retriever and a smaller dog.
“She was just kind of in ‘get me out of here’ mode,” Sarah said. “And I was just helping her get her out of the backyard and to safety.”
Sarah also asked a man who was walking by to stay nearby in case additional help was needed. She then checked with a neighbor to determine whether anyone else might be inside the home. No one entered the house.
Lily also said her focus was helping the woman.
“My brain was mostly thinking about that,” she said. “I had to get her out.”
According to Rockville Centre Fire Department 2nd Assistant Chief Brian O’Toole, the fire remains under investigation, and the cause is unknown. Rockville Centre sent its full department, with assistance from surrounding communities, including Lynbrook, Malverne, Lakeview, Hempstead and Oceanside. O’Toole said the additional units were called in because of the heat and the time of day.
Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 30 minutes.
According to the Rockville Centre Police Department, the report does not indicate who was home at the time of the fire. Police confirmed, however, that the two homeowners, their two children in their 20s and two dogs were displaced as a result of the fire.
Sarah said she and Lily were at the scene for about 15 to 20 minutes. They continued on to basketball camp once emergency crews took over.
After the incident, Sarah told Lily how proud she was of her daughter’s composure. Lily said the experience also left her feeling proud that she had been able to help someone who needed assistance.
“I just told her I was so proud of her,” Sarah said. “How calm she was.”
Lily, who is usually one of the first players to arrive at basketball camp every day, told her teammates what had happened. She said they were shocked because they had been unaware of the fire.
For Sarah, the experience also brought into focus what the family had lost. She said she felt particularly sad knowing the house was likely a place where the family had made memories.
“Obviously, as an adult, you appreciate your home so much,” Sarah said. “And your home is the place where you make memories. I just felt so sad for that family and what they're going to have to go through to rebuild.”
Sarah said she and Lily would like to reach out to the family and offer help. The Wassenbergs live about two blocks from the scene, but the two families do not know each other.
The fire also forced Rockville Centre first responders to postpone “RVC Heroes Day,” which had been scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at the Rockville Centre Public Library. The library has since rescheduled the event for Aug. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
*This story will be updated as more details become available
