Narrative:

We had a normal start; pushback; and initial taxi off the gate in ZZZ. During taxi; prior to exiting the ramp area; we received a 'smoke aft cargo' warning. The first officer and I completed the applicable emergency procedure checklist items; followed by the company flight manual checklist that was appropriate. During this timeframe; the #1 flight attendant called advising of fumes in the cabin. At that point; I evaluated the safety of evacuating on the busy ramp; noted the close proximity of our departure gate; and made the decision to declare. I declared an emergency to ground control; advised them of nature of emergency; and requested emergency equipment. I had the first officer call flight attendant #2 to advise her of our planned evacuate/evacuation at the gate area via the front cabin door; with the passenger to walk to the front of the parked aircraft (where the rampers were waiting). The first officer also called operations to advise them of our immediate return. At the gate area; the flight attendants and first officer assisted with the evacuate/evacuation; and I communicated via radio with the emergency fire personnel. The passenger were evacuate/evacuationed without injury or incident. These events took place within an approximately 5 min window; so things happened fast; but I believe we did the right thing the right way and the outcome was positive. Ultimately; the fire crew reported no actual fire; but we had multiple reports of fumes and smoke fumes from pilots traveling on board; the flight attendants; and a ramper who assisted the fire crew in opening the aft cargo door.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ700 EXPERIENCED AFT CARGO SMOKE DURING ENG START. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND EVACED IN THE GATE AREA.

Narrative: WE HAD A NORMAL START; PUSHBACK; AND INITIAL TAXI OFF THE GATE IN ZZZ. DURING TAXI; PRIOR TO EXITING THE RAMP AREA; WE RECEIVED A 'SMOKE AFT CARGO' WARNING. THE FO AND I COMPLETED THE APPLICABLE EMER PROC CHKLIST ITEMS; FOLLOWED BY THE COMPANY FLT MANUAL CHKLIST THAT WAS APPROPRIATE. DURING THIS TIMEFRAME; THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED ADVISING OF FUMES IN THE CABIN. AT THAT POINT; I EVALUATED THE SAFETY OF EVACUATING ON THE BUSY RAMP; NOTED THE CLOSE PROX OF OUR DEP GATE; AND MADE THE DECISION TO DECLARE. I DECLARED AN EMER TO GND CTL; ADVISED THEM OF NATURE OF EMER; AND REQUESTED EMER EQUIP. I HAD THE FO CALL FLT ATTENDANT #2 TO ADVISE HER OF OUR PLANNED EVAC AT THE GATE AREA VIA THE FRONT CABIN DOOR; WITH THE PAX TO WALK TO THE FRONT OF THE PARKED ACFT (WHERE THE RAMPERS WERE WAITING). THE FO ALSO CALLED OPS TO ADVISE THEM OF OUR IMMEDIATE RETURN. AT THE GATE AREA; THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND FO ASSISTED WITH THE EVAC; AND I COMMUNICATED VIA RADIO WITH THE EMER FIRE PERSONNEL. THE PAX WERE EVACED WITHOUT INJURY OR INCIDENT. THESE EVENTS TOOK PLACE WITHIN AN APPROX 5 MIN WINDOW; SO THINGS HAPPENED FAST; BUT I BELIEVE WE DID THE RIGHT THING THE RIGHT WAY AND THE OUTCOME WAS POSITIVE. ULTIMATELY; THE FIRE CREW RPTED NO ACTUAL FIRE; BUT WE HAD MULTIPLE RPTS OF FUMES AND SMOKE FUMES FROM PLTS TRAVELING ON BOARD; THE FLT ATTENDANTS; AND A RAMPER WHO ASSISTED THE FIRE CREW IN OPENING THE AFT CARGO DOOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.