ACFT EVACUATED ON RAMP WITH PAX AND CABIN ATTENDANT INJURIES.

Narrative

NORMAL PUSHBACK. RECEIVED CLRNC FROM PUSHBACK CREW TO START ENGS. WE RECEIVED ALL NORMAL INDICATIONS EXCEPT NO EGT. THE CAPT DISCONTINUED THE START ON THE L ENG AND PROCEEDED TO START THE R ENG INTENDING TO ADDRESS THE PROB AFTER WE GOT THE R ENG ON LINE. DURING THE START OF THE R ENG; WE RECEIVED XMISSIONS FROM OTHER ACFT THAT THE L ENG WAS SHOWING SOME FLAME OUT THE BACK. WE ASSUMED THAT WE HAD A TAILPIPE FIRE AND WERE INTENDING TO 'MOTOR' THE L ENG IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING THE R ENG START (ABOUT 5-10 MORE SECONDS). UPON COMPLETION OF R ENG START; WE RECEIVED MORE 'UNOFFICIAL' XMISSIONS THAT WE 'REALLY' HAD SOME FLAME; OUT OF THE BACK OF THE L ENG. THE L EGT PEAKED RAPIDLY AT ABOUT 695 DEGS; BUT WE; AT NO TIME; HAD ANY 'ENG FIRE' INDICATIONS. GND CTL COULD CONFIRM SMOKE OUT THE BACK OF THE ACFT BUT COULD NOT CONFIRM ANY FLAME ON THE L ENG. THE CAPT CALLED FOR THE ARPT SAFETY EQUIP. (MAY I SUGGEST THAT ARPT SAFETY EQUIP RADIO FREQ BE ISSUED TO THE INVOLVED ACFT. WE HAD TO RELAY MESSAGES FROM ARPT SAFETY (121.90) TO GND CTL (121.80) TO US (121.80) FOR SEVERAL XMISSIONS UNTIL GND CTL ADVISED US THAT WE COULD CONTACT THE FIREMEN DIRECTLY ON 121.90). ARPT SAFETY ADVISED US WE STILL HAD A SMALL FLAME IN THE BACK OF THE L ENG. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY ISSUED AN EMER EVACUATION COMMAND OVER THE PA TO EVACUATE ACFT RIGHT. HE THEN COMMANDED THE EMER EVACUATION CHKLIST; WHICH WE ACCOMPLISHED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE DC-9-31 FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR. THE TRAGEDY OF THIS INCIDENT IS THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE; JUST A PROLONGED TAILPIPE FIRE. THE CFR CREW HAD NO ONE AT THE FRONT OF THE ACFT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FLC. THE CFR PEOPLE WERE ON A DIFFERENT VHF FREQ THAN THE ATCT AND ACFT. THE CFR PEOPLE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PLUGGING IN THE INTERPHONE SYS TO TELL THE FLC THAT THERE WAS ONLY A TAILPIPE FIRE WHEN THE ORDER WAS GIVEN TO EVACUATE. 1 PAX SPRAINED AN ANKLE AND OTHERS COMPLAINED OF 'RUG BURNS' FROM THE SLIDE. A FLT ATTENDANT BROKE HER TAIL BONE WHEN SHE FELL BACKWARDS WHILE TRYING TO GET OFF THE SLIDE. SHE IS REQUIRED; BY ACR PROC; TO CARRY A MEGAPHONE; MEDICAL KIT; AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER. NO ONE WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE TO HELP HER OFF WITH HER LOAD. ALL OF THE PAX HAD TO BE HERDED AWAY FROM THE ACFT ; NO ONE WANTED TO MOVE AWAY.