ACFT EVACED AFTER ENG FIRE WAS NOTED BY PAX AND CABIN ATTENDANTS DURING THE ENG START PROC IN RAMP OP PUSHBACK.

Narrative

DURING ENG START ON PUSHBACK A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE TO RPT A FIRE. AT THAT TIME THE FORWARD CABIN FLT ATTENDANT KNOCKED AND ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND ANNOUNCED THERE WAS A FIRE ON #1 ENG. I NOTICED THAT THE FIRST CLASS PAX ON THE L SIDE WERE UP AND I ALSO HEARD 2 DIFFERENT VOICES YELLING FIRE. THE CAPT SET THE BRAKES AND ORDERED AN EVAC OF THE ACFT. DURING THE ENG START ITSELF; ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. AS THE CAPT MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO EVAC THE ACFT; I SHUT DOWN THE #1 ENG AND POSITIONED THE FLAP HANDLE TO FLAPS 40. THE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND AS I LEFT THE COCKPIT TO ASSIST THE CABIN CREW THE AIRPLANE WAS EMPTY OF ANY PAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FO RPTED THAT THE PAX ON THE STARBOARD SIDE ACTUALLY GOT OUT ONTO THE R WING BEFORE ANY ACTION INITIATED BY THE CABIN ATTENDANTS. THE PAX WERE NERVOUS OVER THE 'TORCHING' EFFECT AND OBVIOUSLY THE SIT GOT OUT OF HAND ABOUT THE TIME THE PIC ANNOUNCED FOR THE PAX TO RELEASE THEIR SEAT BELTS AND EVAC. THE CREW FELT THAT AN EVAC HAD TO TAKE PLACE AS THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BACK THERE; EXCEPT THAT THE CABIN ATTENDANTS HAD RPTED 'A FIRE' RELATED TO THE ENG. FO BELIEVES THAT THE FIRE WENT OUT AS ENG SPOOLED UP BUT THEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS. THERE IS NO DOOR WARNING LIGHT ON THE OVERWING EXITS -- IS THIS AN OVERSIGHT IN ACFT DESIGN OR CERTIFICATION PROCS? FO FURTHER STATED THAT THE GND CREW MADE A REMARK REF THE START BY SAYING THAT IT WAS A BRIGHT ONE; INDICATING THAT IT HAD TORCHED. NO OTHER REMARK WAS MADE TO INDICATE ANY MAJOR PROBS WITH ENG.