A FIRE CREW WAS CALLED TO AN ACFT THAT HAD A TORCHING ENG ON START-UP AT NIGHT.

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AFTER TAXI OUT FOR DEP; WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE #2 ENG AND RETURNED TO HOLDING AREA FOR MAINT. WE WERE DIRECTED TO TAXI TO MAINT HARDSTAND FOR EVALUATION. WE REMAINED THERE FOR A TIME WHILE THEY ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. THE DECISION WAS MADE BY MAINT TO RETURN TO THE GATE TO PROTECT PAX CONNECTIONS. MAINT PERSONNEL WERE ON THE HEADSET TO ME AS WELL AS AN OBSERVER LOCATED BY THE TAIL. UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE #1 ENG; THEY RPTED A GLOW AND A FEW FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. ALL INDICATIONS IN THE COCKPIT WERE NORMAL. WE DISCONTINUED THE START AND MOTORED THE ENG AS REQUIRED PER PROC. SOON AFTER; FIRE TRUCKS ARRIVED. THEY WERE CALLED BY SOMEONE IN TERMINAL OPS. THERE WERE STILL NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS OF ANY KIND IN THE COCKPIT. THE ACFT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FIRE CREW DID NOT COM IN ANY MANNER TO THE COCKPIT CREW AS TO THE NATURE OR EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. THE COCKPIT CREW AND MAINT PERSONNEL ON THE GND DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE COMING OR WHEN THEY WERE PLANNING TO LEAVE THE SCENE. COMMUNICATING WITH THE COCKPIT IS PARAMOUNT FOR COORDINATED EFFORTS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND DECIDE UPON ACTIONS.