MD80 HAS ENG FIRE WARNING AND ENG SHUTDOWN FOLLOWED BY UNEVENTFUL RETURN TO DEP STATION. CABIN CREW QUESTIONED LACK OF DIRECTION ABOUT A PLAN FOR EVAC OR NOT.

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OVERWT LNDG AFTER ENG FIRE WARNING AND SHUTDOWN. ZLA; 15000 FT; LAS 055 DEG RADIAL 38 DME. CLBOUT FROM LAS; GOING THROUGH 15000 FT WHEN ENG FIRE WARNING ON R ENG. FOLLOWED PROC AND SHUT DOWN R ENG; RETURNED TO LAS AND LANDED. FIRE CREWS FOUND NO INDICATION OF A FIRE; SO RETURNED TO GATE TO LET PAX OFF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE LOUD; POPPING SOUND ON THE R SIDE OF THE PLANE; THAT WAS HEARD BY THE RPTING FLT ATTENDANTS; WAS ACTUALLY THE PLTS SHUTTING DOWN THE R ENG AFTER THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE AIR ONLY 18 MINS; AND 9 MINS FROM ENG SHUTDOWN TO LNDG; THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO LAND OVERWT. THE CAPT TOLD THE PURSER THAT THEY SHOULD PREPARE FOR AN EMER EVAC; DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FIREMEN IN THE EMER VEHICLES ON THE GND TOLD THEM THE PLANE LOOKED LIKE ON LNDG. ONCE ON THE GND; THE PLANE HAD TO BE INSPECTED AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER HAD TO BE REPLACED; SO THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS. HE SAID THE PURSER HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED TO FLY AFTER BEING OFF FOR A 14 MONTH PERIOD DUE TO BEING IN ANOTHER EMER EVAC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 459501: THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND; LIKE A ROCK HITTING THE SIDE OF A HOUSE; ON THE ACFT R ENG. ALL CREW MEMBERS HEARD THE SOUND. COCKPIT INDICATED THEIR INSTS SHOWED A R ENG FIRE. STOPPED THE BEVERAGE SVC; SECURED EVERYTHING IN GALLEY; DID SAFETY CHKS. PERCEPTIONS: THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED TO DO A PLANNED EVAC; BUT FLT ATTENDANT #1 SAID SHE WASN'T INFORMED ON WHAT TO DO. IN OTHER WORDS; TEST. ACTION: STARTED WALKING THROUGH THE AISLE DOING SEATBELT CHKS AND MAKING SURE THE WINDOW EXITS DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING OBSTRUCTING THEM. COM: BECAUSE ANYTIME YOU ASK THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT 'ARE WE GOING TO DO A PLANNED EVAC?' AND HER RESPONSE IS 'I DON'T KNOW;' CASE AND POINT.