People in Ireland who turned on the news to watch the coverage of a hotel fire were unexpectedly treated to an interview with none other than The Fonz himself, Henry Winkler.
The movie star was among the many guests and hotel staffers evacuated from the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin city center due to a fire that broke out on Wednesday morning, June 12.
Highlights
- Henry Winkler, 78, unexpectedly appeared on RTÉ News after being evacuated from Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel due to a fire
- The actor, known for roles in Arrested Development and Happy Days, was among guests evacuated from the five-star hotel on June 12
- He initially thought the fire alarm was a clock radio set by a previous guest before realizing it wasn't and calling hotel staff
- Henry praised the Dublin Fire Brigade and took a selfie with firefighters, calling them some of his favorite human beings
When reporters for RTÉ News arrived at the scene, they spoke to the hotel guests, and one of them was the 78-year-old actor with a decades-long Hollywood career.
Henry Winkler unexpectedly appeared on the news after being interviewed by a reporter following a hotel fire in Dublin
Image credits: Henry Winkler / Twitter
Known for his roles in hit comedy shows like Arrested Development, Parks & Recreation, and Barry, the veteran actor had checked in at the hotel on Tuesday. He was caught off-guard when the fire broke out on the fifth floor of the 265-room five-star hotel.
“When I heard the fire alarm, I thought it was the clock radio – I thought somebody had set the alarm before we got there, like another guest,” he told the reporter. “Finally, I went into another room and it was still buzzing, so I called downstairs.”
"The woman said in a very calm voice, 'Yes, we're all evacuating. You must evacuate right now.' And I left,” he added.
The Hollywood legend narrated the story of how he heard the fire alarm and eventually had to rush out of the hotel
The blaze was under control and no fatalities were reported.
“Firefighters were called to a fire in a premises on St Stephen's Green … The fire is under control with an effective evacuation helping enormously,” a spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade said. “Six fire engines including a turntable ladder and emergency tender remain on scene. Traffic restrictions in area.”
While at the scene, the Happy Days star took a moment to appreciate the firefighters and even took a selfie with them.
“Thank you Dublin ‘s fire department … our hotel was evacuated on our first morning !!!” he wrote in a tweet as he shared the selfie on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"It was an amazing adventure right here in Dublin. I cannot wait to see the rest of Dublin," the Happy Days star said
“You know what? How wonderful! Firemen are some of my favourite human beings – firemen and firewomen,” he told the RTÉ News reporter. “They run in when other people are running out. I think they deserve to be shook [by the hand]."
Despite having to be evacuated from a hotel due to a fire, the on-screen star said, “It was an amazing adventure right here in Dublin. I cannot wait to see the rest of Dublin.”