Narrative:

During start up of be-1900 at hpn. Just after starting the left engine (right engine already running), we experienced an indication of a fire in the left engine (the left 'T' handle lit and the red caution lights). I shut down the engines and performed the fire on ground procedures. I instructed the first officer to evacuate/evacuation the cabin on the right through the wing exits. I then alerted the ground controller and ordered fire trucks be dispatched, I also alerted ramp personnel. I then looked to the left engine to see if there was a fire. There appeared to be no fire. I turned my attention to the cabin to find my first officer helping remove the exit doors. Nobody had moved to get up. I looked back outside and there still appeared to be no fire. I asked the 'rampy' if he could see any fire. He was looking at the nacelle. He said that he could not see any indications of a fire. At about this time the fire trucks were coming. I looked back to the cabin and my first officer had both doors open and yet not 1 passenger had moved. He could not convince them to climb out on the wing. He told me later that 1 passenger said she refused to leave without her camera. Since there appeared to be no fire and the fire trucks were arriving and could help if a fire did appear, I elected to deplane the passenger on the left through the main air stair door. I thought this would be much quicker in the end with the reluctance of the passenger and would be less likely to lead to injuries. Maintenance later confirmed that this had indeed been a false indication. The aircraft had been preflted by my first officer and me in boston just before flying to hpn. No problems were found during preflight or on the flight to hpn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND FIRE - ACR HAS A FIRE WARNING DURING START AND THE FLC DECIDES TO EVAC THROUGH THE OVER-WING EXIT AWAY FROM THE FIRE INDICATION. THE PAX REFUSE TO LEAVE THAT WAY.

Narrative: DURING START UP OF BE-1900 AT HPN. JUST AFTER STARTING THE L ENG (R ENG ALREADY RUNNING), WE EXPERIENCED AN INDICATION OF A FIRE IN THE L ENG (THE L 'T' HANDLE LIT AND THE RED CAUTION LIGHTS). I SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND PERFORMED THE FIRE ON GND PROCS. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO EVAC THE CABIN ON THE R THROUGH THE WING EXITS. I THEN ALERTED THE GND CTLR AND ORDERED FIRE TRUCKS BE DISPATCHED, I ALSO ALERTED RAMP PERSONNEL. I THEN LOOKED TO THE L ENG TO SEE IF THERE WAS A FIRE. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE. I TURNED MY ATTN TO THE CABIN TO FIND MY FO HELPING REMOVE THE EXIT DOORS. NOBODY HAD MOVED TO GET UP. I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE AND THERE STILL APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE. I ASKED THE 'RAMPY' IF HE COULD SEE ANY FIRE. HE WAS LOOKING AT THE NACELLE. HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT SEE ANY INDICATIONS OF A FIRE. AT ABOUT THIS TIME THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE COMING. I LOOKED BACK TO THE CABIN AND MY FO HAD BOTH DOORS OPEN AND YET NOT 1 PAX HAD MOVED. HE COULD NOT CONVINCE THEM TO CLB OUT ON THE WING. HE TOLD ME LATER THAT 1 PAX SAID SHE REFUSED TO LEAVE WITHOUT HER CAMERA. SINCE THERE APPEARED TO BE NO FIRE AND THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE ARRIVING AND COULD HELP IF A FIRE DID APPEAR, I ELECTED TO DEPLANE THE PAX ON THE L THROUGH THE MAIN AIR STAIR DOOR. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE MUCH QUICKER IN THE END WITH THE RELUCTANCE OF THE PAX AND WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO LEAD TO INJURIES. MAINT LATER CONFIRMED THAT THIS HAD INDEED BEEN A FALSE INDICATION. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PREFLTED BY MY FO AND ME IN BOSTON JUST BEFORE FLYING TO HPN. NO PROBS WERE FOUND DURING PREFLT OR ON THE FLT TO HPN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.