Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Ground Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Pushback operator alerted us to a fuel leak at the center of the fuselage. Maintenance was called. Maintenance asked for an immediate APU shutdown. No power on aircraft. Fuel odor and fumes filled the cabin. I asked the A Flight Attendant to initiate an Emergency Deplanement. She did. Passengers returned to terminal. Maintenance fixed the leak signed the book and we re-boarded and departed. The Mechanic seemed pretty serious about shutting down the APU and left with no other input. Given the information I was presented with I would react the same again.
A321 Captain reported that push back operator advised that a fuel leak was present on aircraft belly.