Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
During taxi out to [runway]; Tower reported engine fire and sparks coming out of left engine as we crossed off duty runway. Got the aircraft across the runway and stopped in the hold area while we shut down the left engine; pulled the left Fire Handle; and had no secondary indications in the cockpit. Requested ARFF inspection and ARFF rolled out for us. Checked fire warnings for valid tests: all systems tested normal. Advised flight attendant's of situation and made a PA to our passengers that the Airfield Safety Team was going to come out and look at our aircraft and that there was no cause for alarm. Also; that we shut down both engines for their safe investigation of our aircraft. Received all clear; no hot spots on our aircraft from the Fire Marshal. Advised Operations that we were returning to the gate and that the aircraft would be down for maintenance. Advised the crew and passengers that we were returning to the gate. Started the right engine and taxied single engine to the open gate. Completed the write-up in the logbook and briefed Maintenance. Fire Captain debriefed me on his all clear findings and follow me back to the gate in a post incident face to face de-brief. Called Dispatch and debriefed him on what had happened. Called [company Chief Pilot] and debriefed him on the event; and advised him that the cockpit crew was essentially done; one emergency a day; he concurred. Completed post incident debrief with First Officer in Operations. Maintenance advised me of their tailpipe fire inspection and of the 737's possible torching of leaked oil in the tailpipe section for future awareness. The follow up with Maintenance made me aware that this type of tale pipe fire or torching is in the maintenance manuals; for future reference; but engine fires must be respected when aircrew are advised from sources outside their aircraft; and quick and decisive action to secure those fires must still always be accomplished by cockpit aircrew. Additionally; Captain's decision to end the cockpit crew day following this uneventful ground emergency was good in my reflection; in that it was an early morning sign-in for a long day's flight work load.
B737-800 Captain reported ATC advised left engine fire and sparks on taxi out. Flight crew shut down the engine and had ARFF check for hot spots before returning to gate.