EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Evacuated; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
The Flight Crew and passengers began smelling smoke in the cabin. It smelled like an electrical fire; however the FO (First Officer) heard what sounded like a seizing bearing from Pack 2 (the only pack that was running at the time) and the CA (Captain) reached up and quickly turned off the pack. The FO ran out to check to see if the pack was actively on fire. It was not; from the FO's perspective. The CA turned around and saw smoke in the cabin and immediately commanded the FA (Flight Attendant) to evacuate the aircraft as we were still at the gate and the main cabin door was open. The FA got the passengers off the plane with the assistance of the CA and FO. The CA called Operations to call the ARFF (Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting) as there was smoke. Maintenance was also called to the plane. The aircraft was deemed fire safe by ARFF Captain and the passengers returned to the plane to gather their personal belongings. We went to the clinic to be checked out for smoke inhalation and were told to not return to flying duty until the following day. The flight was aircraft swapped and re-crewed and departed 4 hours late.The threat was the mechanical malfunction of the air conditioning PACK and the subsequent fire and smoke that caused smoke in the cabin. This led to determination by the CA to execute an emergency evacuation. I feel like we handled this issue properly. We turned off the pack and stopped the burning of it and got the people off the airplane and breathing fresh air in a very quick manner.
As we were still at the gate and the main cabin door was open. The FA (Flight Attendant) got the passengers off the plane with the assistance of the CA (Captain) and FO (First Officer). The gate agent disappeared and [we] asked able body passengers to help with 4 passengers that had trouble walking and had used wheel chairs to board. Noticed that passengers were not entering the building and commanded them to go inside. Maintenance was called to the plane. The aircraft was deemed safe and the passengers returned to the plane to gather their personal belongings. We went to the clinic to be checked out for smoke inhalation and were told that we were not to return to work until the following day. Agent and ramp personnel should be more supportive in the evacuation process when at a gate.
EMB-145 flight crew reported evacuating the aircraft via the jet bridge when smoke was observed in the cabin.