Viewers stunned as man interviewed after Dublin hotel fire is major Hollywood celebrity

A routine fire evacuation at Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel turned into a memorable moment when one of the guests interviewed by a local news outlet turned out to be Hollywood legend Henry Winkler.

The actor, best known for his role as the Fonz on "Happy Days," shared his experience with characteristic charm, winning the hearts of thousands online.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when guests of the Shelbourne Hotel were abruptly awoken by a blaring fire alarm.

A local news crew quickly arrived to capture reactions, unknowingly stumbling upon Winkler.

Despite the early morning disruption, the actor maintained a positive demeanour, even expressing gratitude towards the firefighters.

"When I heard the fire alarm, I thought it was the clock radio," Winkler told Irish publication RTE News.

"I thought somebody had set the alarm before we got there, like another guest.

“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."

Winkler had arrived late the previous night due to a delayed flight, making the wake-up call particularly unwelcome.

However, he took it in stride, smiling and engaging with fellow guests and firefighters outside the hotel.

"Firemen are some of my favourite human beings, firemen and firewomen," Winkler added.

"They run in when other people are running out. I think their hands deserve to be shook."

The fire alarm went off around 10.30am, with a witness noting smoke from one of the upper bedroom windows.

Dublin Fire Brigade's Colm Kershaw later confirmed that the fire was confined to one room and caused minimal damage.

"The crews got up there fairly quick and got water on it. We had the floor isolated and we got it out fairly quick," he explained.

Winkler’s interaction with the news crew quickly went viral, with social media users praising his positive attitude and gratitude towards the firefighters.

"Don't care about the other patrons. As long as Henry Winkler is safe. He is to be protected at all costs," one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Another user added, "One of the best people on God's green earth. Ireland might have become an international pariah if we'd killed Henry Winkler."

The funny nature of the encounter also amused many.

"Assignment editor: Go to the scene and get victim impact. Reporter: I present you, The Fonz," read one tweet.

Another user shared: "Imagine being the reporter sent to cover the fire and seeing Henry freaking Winkler."

This isn't the first time Winkler has been involved in a viral interview moment.

In 2013, a BBC reporter randomly interviewed him about a new runway at Heathrow Airport, unaware of his celebrity status.

Winkler, who was in London for a theater role, graciously shared his opinion on the matter, much to the reporter’s surprise.

Winkler is currently in Dublin to promote his new memoir, "Being Henry: The Fonz and Beyond."

Following the hotel fire, he posted a selfie with some of the firefighters on X and said: "Thank you Dublin's fire department… our hotel was evacuated on our first morning."