GND FIRE - ACR HAS A FIRE WARNING DURING START AND THE FLC DECIDES TO EVAC THROUGH THE OVER-WING EXIT AWAY FROM THE FIRE INDICATION. THE PAX REFUSE TO LEAVE THAT WAY.

Narrative

DURING START UP OF BE-1900 AT HPN. JUST AFTER STARTING THE L ENG (R ENG ALREADY RUNNING); WE EXPERIENCED AN INDICATION OF A FIRE IN THE L ENG (THE L 'T' HANDLE LIT AND THE RED CAUTION LIGHTS). I SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND PERFORMED THE FIRE ON GND PROCS. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO EVAC THE CABIN ON THE R THROUGH THE WING EXITS. I THEN ALERTED THE GND CTLR AND ORDERED FIRE TRUCKS BE DISPATCHED; I ALSO ALERTED RAMP PERSONNEL. I THEN LOOKED TO THE L ENG TO SEE IF THERE WAS A FIRE. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE. I TURNED MY ATTN TO THE CABIN TO FIND MY FO HELPING REMOVE THE EXIT DOORS. NOBODY HAD MOVED TO GET UP. I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE AND THERE STILL APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE. I ASKED THE 'RAMPY' IF HE COULD SEE ANY FIRE. HE WAS LOOKING AT THE NACELLE. HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT SEE ANY INDICATIONS OF A FIRE. AT ABOUT THIS TIME THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE COMING. I LOOKED BACK TO THE CABIN AND MY FO HAD BOTH DOORS OPEN AND YET NOT 1 PAX HAD MOVED. HE COULD NOT CONVINCE THEM TO CLB OUT ON THE WING. HE TOLD ME LATER THAT 1 PAX SAID SHE REFUSED TO LEAVE WITHOUT HER CAMERA. SINCE THERE APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE AND THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE ARRIVING AND COULD HELP IF A FIRE DID APPEAR; I ELECTED TO DEPLANE THE PAX ON THE L THROUGH THE MAIN AIR STAIR DOOR. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE MUCH QUICKER IN THE END WITH THE RELUCTANCE OF THE PAX AND WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO LEAD TO INJURIES. MAINT LATER CONFIRMED THAT THIS HAD INDEED BEEN A FALSE INDICATION. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PREFLTED BY MY FO AND ME IN BOSTON JUST BEFORE FLYING TO HPN. NO PROBS WERE FOUND DURING PREFLT OR ON THE FLT TO HPN.