DC9 CREW HAD ENG TORCHING AND FIRE WARNING.

Narrative

WHILE STARTING THE R ENG; TWR NOTIFIED US THAT THE R ENG APPEARED TO BE ON FIRE. TWR THEN SCRAMBLED EMER EQUIP. WE COMPLIED WITH THE QRH 'TAILPIPE FIRE OR TORCHING DURING START' PROCS. AFTER COMPLETING THESE PROCS; EMER RESPONSE PERSONNEL SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS OUT. THEY INSPECTED THE ENG AND CLRED US TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. AS WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE; THE R ENG FIRE HANDLE ILLUMINATED AND THE FIRE BELL RANG. WE RAN THE QRH 'ENG FIRE' PROCS WHICH RESULTED IN DISCHARGING OUR AGENT BOTTLE; AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. WE ASKED THE EMER RESPONSE PERSONNEL; WHO WERE STILL CLOSE TO THE ACFT; TO RESPOND; AND ONCE AGAIN; THEY NOTED NO FIRE AND CLRED US TO TAXI. AS ONE FINAL PRECAUTION; THE EMER RESPONSE PERSONNEL RE-EXAMINED OUR ACFT ONE MORE TIME PRIOR TO PULLING ONTO THE GATE. AT THE GATE; THE PAX DEPLANED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THESE NON-NORMALS; I MADE PA'S TO INFORM THE PAX OF THE SIT AND TO ASK THEM TO REMAIN IN THEIR SEATS. PRIOR TO PULLING ONTO THE GATE; I MADE A FINAL 'DE-BRIEFING' PA. QRH PROCS WORKED WELL. EMER RESPONSE PERSONNEL RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY AND PROFESSIONALLY. GOOD COMS AND CRM WITH PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS AND EMER RESPONSE PREVENTED AN UNNECESSARY EVAC. TORCHING PROCS DID NOT PREVENT TORCHING FROM TRIGGERING A FIRE ALARM. ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC THE VERY NEXT DAY WITH NO ENG DAMAGE NOTED.