MD83 CREW REQUESTED CFR RESPONSE TO THE GATE BECAUSE IF A SUSPECTED TUG THAT WAS ON FIRE. CFR TOOK 10 MINS TO RESPOND.

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ON PUSHBACK; APPROX 50 YARDS INTO THE PUSH; THE TUG'S ENG RACED WILDLY OUT OF CTL; BILLOWS OF THICK SMOKE EMERGED FROM EXHAUST AND ENG COVER. TUG LURCHED TO A STOP; DRIVER SAID 'I CAN'T CTL THE ENG.' SMOKE MADE US AND THE AREA IMC; ENG STILL RACING. I PARKED BRAKES; TUG DRIVER BAILED OUT (HE HAD TO -- SMOKE WAS SEVERE; ENG STILL OUT OF CTL); SO WE WERE STILL HOOKED UP TO THE OUT OF CTL ENG ON THE UNATTENDED TUG. HAD FO RADIO RAMP FOR CFR FIRE SUPPRESSION IMMEDIATELY. RAMP ROGERED OUR CALL. CFR RESPONDED FULLY '10 MINS' AFTER OUR CALL TO THE RAMP. MEANWHILE; SOME BRAVE RAMPERS DISABLED THE BURNING-UP ENG; WHICH SHUT DOWN. WHY DID IT TAKE 10 MINS FOR EMER EQUIP TO ARRIVE? WAS IT OUR RAMP DELAY IN XMITTING THE CALL? WAS IT CFR'S RESPONSE? WHEN DID THE CALL TO CFR GO OUT? WHEN WAS IT RECEIVED AT CFR? I WAS WAITING FOR FLAMES TO MAKE A GND EVAC DECISION. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE PREDICAMENT AND THEY ASKED IF I WANTED THE DOOR ARMED; WHICH SEEMS LIKE A STRANGE QUESTION TO ME -- WE WERE OFF THE GATE FACING AN EVAC. WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT THE DOORS ARMED? I'M GRATEFUL TO THE RAMPERS WHO SHUTDOWN THE RUNAWAY TOWBAR; TO THE BURNING UP ENG WITH NO OPTIONS FROM THE COCKPIT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT IN THE CASE OF A FIRE WITHIN A TOWBAR'S REACH OF THE ACFT; PARTICULARLY IN A TIGHT ALLEYWAY NEAR OTHER JETS; WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL; THAT A CFR RESPONSE IS 'NOT' 10 MINS AWAY; WHICH WOULD BE A REAL DISASTER IF THE TUG FIRE HAD BURNED INTO ITS GAS TANK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 616009: AT LEAST 2 MORE TIMES RAMP WAS ASKED BY CAPT (OR MYSELF) IF THE TRUCKS HAD BEEN CALLED. EACH TIME RAMP STATED THEY HAD BEEN CALLED. NO FLAMES WERE EVER SEEN; JUST SMOKE.