AT THE GATE ONBOARD B727-200; MAINT INFORMED FLC OF SMOKE FROM APU AND PIC EVACED PAX THROUGH THE BOARDING DOOR WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC.

Narrative

PAX WERE ALREADY BOARDED AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE PERFORMING THE SAFETY DEMONSTRATION WHEN THE CAPT INTERRUPTED ON THE PA TO TELL EVERYONE THAT THE #2 ENG WOULD HAVE TO BE STARTED MANUALLY. MAINT ARRIVED AND WAS WORKING ON THE PROB WHEN A MAINT WORKER RUSHED TO THE COCKPIT TO INFORM THE CAPT THAT THERE WAS SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE AUX PWR UNIT. THE CAPT GOT ON THE PA AND ASKED THE PAX TO EXIT THE ACFT THROUGH THE BOARDING DOOR IN AN ORDERLY MANNER; ROW BY ROW; AND TO NOT TAKE ANYTHING WITH THEM. THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT POSITIONED HERSELF BTWN THE FIRST AND COACH CLASS CABINS AND DIRECTED THE PAX TOWARD HER VOICE. I WAS THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND I GOT ON THE PA TO INFORM PEOPLE NOT TO OPEN OVERHEAD BINS TO TAKE OUT CARRY-ON ITEMS. ONE LADY IN PARTICULAR DELAYED THE EVAC BY RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM SEVERAL OVERHEAD BINS. SHE WAS OBLIVIOUS TO ANY COMMANDS THAT WE SHOUTED TO HER. THE PAX WAITED IN THE TERMINAL AREA UNTIL THE ACFT WAS DEEMED SAFE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO RETRIEVE THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND PROCEED TO ANOTHER PLANE. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS. IN RETROSPECT; I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO INFORM THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT IN THE BACK OF THE CABIN WHY SHE WAS NOT TO OPEN THE REAR EXITS; BUT I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFO AT THE TIME. THIS MIGHT HAVE ALLEVIATED HER SENSE OF PANIC AND HELPLESSNESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CABIN ATTENDANTS IN THE AFT OF THE ACFT DUE TO THE EVAC. ALL CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE IMMEDIATELY REINFORCING THE PIC'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO EVAC WITHOUT CARRY-ON'S. THE IMMEDIATE REACTION OF THE PAX IS TO TAKE ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS WITH THEM. CABIN ATTENDANTS CONTINUALLY SHOUTED COMMANDS TO THE PAX TO ABIDE BY THE PIC'S INSTRUCTIONS AND TO EXPEDITE THE EVAC.