Henry Winkler Not Recognized by News Reporter During Dublin Hotel Fire Evacuation

Viewers tuning into Ireland’s RTE News on Wednesday (June 13) were shocked to see Henry Winkler being interviewed as “the man on the street” after a hotel fire evacuation in Dublin.

According to Deadline, Winkler was staying at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin when the fire alarm sounded, and the guests and staff were evacuated. While waiting outside, an RTE news reporter approached the Happy Days star to get his thoughts on the situation.

“When I heard the fire alarm, I thought it was the clock radio,” Winkler told the reporter, who seemingly had no idea they were talking to the Fonz himself. “I thought somebody had set the alarm before we got there, like, you know, another guest.”

He continued, “Finally, I went into another room, and it was still buzzing. So I called downstairs, and the woman said, in a very calm voice, ‘Yes, we’re all evacuating; you must evacuate right now!’ And I left.”

Winkler, who is in Ireland to promote his memoir Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond, went on to praise the local fire department for their quick response to the situation.

“Fireman are some of my favorite human beings,” he said. “Firemen and firewomen. They run in when other people are running out. I think their [hands] deserve to be shook.”

Thank you Dublin ‘s fire department … our hotel was evacuated on our first morning !!! pic.twitter.com/kyByb5VSoM

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) June 12, 2024

The Arrested Development alum was seen shaking hands with the firefighters and posing for selfies, which he later posted on social media. In a follow-up post on Thursday (June 13), Winkler shared a photo of himself posing beside a fire truck while wearing a firefighter outfit.

“Joining the firefighters here in Dublin !!!! What a bunch,” he captioned the post.

Joining the firefighters here in Dublin !!!! What a bunch pic.twitter.com/b8VZnEA82N

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) June 13, 2024

The Emmy-winning actor has already had quite the trip, as he told RTE, “We came last night, our plane was delayed in London for about three and a half hours, this morning, we got up and evacuated. And it was an amazing adventure right here in Dublin. I cannot wait to see the rest of Dublin.”