B737-500 FLT CREW ALMOST HAD A GND CREW WALK INTO A RUNNING ENG.

Narrative

THE ACFT WAS RELEASED WITH AN INOP APU. WHEN WE LANDED; I ASKED THE FO TO REMIND OPS THAT WE HAD AN INOP APU. THE RAMP CREW WAS READY TO MARSHALL WHEN WE GOT TO GATE. AFTER STOPPING THE ACFT; I RECEIVED A 'CHOCKS IN' SIGNAL FROM THE MARSHALER. I THEN NOTICED HIM LOOKING AT THE L WHEEL WELL/ENG AREA AND SIGNALING TO SOMEONE IN THAT AREA. IT SEEMED HE WAS TRYING TO GET SOMEONE OUT OF THAT AREA. IT THEN DAWNED ON ME THAT SOMEONE WAS NEAR THE RUNNING #1 ENG I LOOKED BACK TOWARD THE ENG AND EITHER SAW AGENT OR HIS SHADOW (THE RIPPLED WINDOW KIND OF BLURRED THE PICTURE). AT THIS POINT; I QUICKLY SHUT DOWN THE ENG. ACFT LOST ALL PWR EXCEPT THE BATTERY. I OPENED THE WINDOW AND ASKED THE RAMP SUPVR HOW CLOSE THE GUY GOT TO THE ENG. HIS ANSWER 'VERY CLOSE;' SO WE NEAR GND-UP AN AGENT DUE TO EITHER A LACK OF COM OR KNOWLEDGE. EVERYONE SEEMED TO KNOW WE NEEDED EXTERNAL PWR. THE NEAR GRINDEE; I GUESS; DIDN'T KNOW #1 ENG WOULD RUN UNTIL PWR WAS PLUGGED IN. THIS APPEARS TO BE JUST ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF THE IGNORANCE AND APATHY THAT ARE COMMON ON THE EWR RAMP. I FIGURE THAT IF IT KEEPS UP; WE WILL KILL SOMEONE IN THE NEXT FEW YRS.