Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Evacuated
Aircraft
Pushed back from the ZZZ gate X; during push back; we received the okay from ground crew personnel that we can start engine 1. During engine start of the number one engine; it was noted that we had a hung start as the N2 gauge only got up to about 31 percent. Once the Captain and I noticed the indications; we went into shutdown procedures of the number 1 engine. We did note the engine 1 ITT temperature rapidly increase; before it decreased. After shutting down the engine to prepare to restart; ground crew personnel attempted to notify us that there was a fire. However; due to faulty headsets of ground personnel; this information was hard to make sense of. At this point to confirm a potential fire; we contacted the flight attendants to check the rear of the aircraft and look out the windows to confirm the fire potential. The flight attendants did not see any flames or smoke. The decision was made to open the main cabin door; to allow the pilot in command to visually verify there was a fire threat. After the pilot in command visually inspected the area; he was able to confirm that there was a fire and we promptly called for an aircraft evacuation of the passengers and crew. Fire units were notified promptly by ground crew and notification to ZZZ Ground Control of evacuation of passengers on the ramp. The Captain and myself (First Officer) continued to do the Engine Fire (on the ground) Emergency Procedure Checklist and the Passenger Evacuation Procedure Checklist.
Pushing back we were cleared to start the number one engine. While starting the engine we noticed the engine went to 30 percent N2 and N1 was hanging at 6 to 7 percent. When we were doing the shutdown procedure we noticed the ITT gauge started going up rapidly then went down to zero after we shut down the engine and had no other messages appear on the aircraft. After we shut down the engine the rampers were trying to tell us something; but their radio had a lot of static and I could not understand them. I thought they said fire; but I was not sure because of all the static on the radio. We had no indication on the EICAS of an engine fire. I had my First Officer call the Flight Attendant and check to see if there was a fire. They called back and said they could not see anything. Still unable to understand what ramp was saying; I decided to open the cabin door to visually check; and there was a fire on the number 1 engine. I ran back inside and told the Flight Attendants to evacuate the aircraft. The First Officer and I ran the Engine Fire (on the ground) Emergency Procedure Checklist. After we finished the checklist I shut off the aircraft and made sure everyone was off the aircraft.
CRJ 900 Flight Crew reported that ground crew observed a fire on an engine during start and evacuated the aircraft.