NBC news anchor gets on-air surprise - Brian Williams ignores fire alarm during ‘NBC Nightly News’ broadcast. Brian Williams plays off an unusual interruption just seconds into his nightly newscast. Brian Williams, host of NBC's "Nightly News," kicked off its East Coast newscast Tuesday night with a story on American Airlines' bankruptcy--and a fire alarm.

Just seconds into the broadcast, a fire alarm interrupted Williams, who assured told the audience that it was indeed a fire alarm before throwing to reporter Tom Costello.

"You'll forgive us, we have a fire alarm announcement going on here," Williams, a former volunteer firefighter in Middletown Township, New Jersey, said.

Later, Williams assured viewers that "there is no danger to us."

The Pacific Coast did not get to see Williams' deft-handling of the alarm; NBC re-taped the segment for the West Coast broadcast of "Nightly News."