Beech 1900
Flight Crew Commercial
Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff; General Declared Emergency; General Evacuated
Aircraft
Taxied to the runway. A Boeing 757 was in front of us and took off. We taxied into position on the Runway after ATC gave us the 'line up and wait' instructions. We started timing for wake turbulence avoidance once the 757 took off. About 2-3 minutes after the 757 took off ATC cleared us for takeoff and almost simultaneously our left firewall fuel valve (t-handle) illuminated indicated a fire in the left engine. We saw the illumination and my Captain confirmed that there were flames around the left engine exhaust. We notified ATC that we would have to get off the runway and then elected to just stay sitting on the runway. My Captain performed memory items for engine fire on the ground (fuel cutoff; pull firewall fuel valve; ign/starter switch -starter only) and confirmed once again the engine was on fire and actuated the left fire extinguisher. He then told me to run the checklist for emergency engine fire on the ground. In which we did and completed. Initially we decided that an evacuation was not required but then decided for safety to evacuate the passengers of which there were only two. I grabbed my jacket and went to escort the passengers out the 6C emergency exit. I first got onto the wing in order to help the elderly lady out first and then assisted the middle aged gentlemen afterward. We walked away from the aircraft and less than a minute later a police car arrived as well as the fire rescue team.
A BE-1900 engine fire warning alerted as the takeoff was barely begun so an emergency was declared; the aircraft stopped on the runway; the emergency checklist completed and the aircraft evacuated.