Evacuate onto the wing after suspicion of fire?

[Ripsnort]

Okay, so obviously there were at least a couple of aerospace engineers  or airplane-knowledgeable people who jumped off the wing and onto the tarmac on this flight...the MD-80 has wing fuel tanks that hold 9330 pounds of fuel.....the wing is the last place I would be standing under the suspicion of fire! 

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Passengers-evacuate-onto-planes-wing-after-fuel-spill-at-Boise-Airport-307244471.html

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - Passengers aboard an Allegiant flight that had just arrived from Los Angeles at the Boise Airport opened the emergency exit and evacuated after seeing what they thought was smoke outside the plane.

A Boise Airport spokesman says the plane had parked at the gate when fuel began to leak from an auxiliary engine onto the tarmac Friday evening.

The airport says that fumes from the spilled fuel were seen by some of the passengers, who thought the fumes were smoke from a fire.

The spokesman says the passengers then opened the emergency exit above the wing of the plane and evacuated onto the wing. A few passengers jumped down from the wing to the tarmac.

The airport says that once they realized there wasn't a fire, the passengers were brought into the terminal.

No injuries were reported and no other flights at the airport were affected.

Officials say the fuel spill was about ten feet by ten feet in size.

The MD-80 aircraft has been grounded until the source of the leak can be found.

[Rich46yo]

That entire airplane is one big fuel tank. When your ground level to an MD you can see how going out to the wing makes sense. Its wings are pretty low because they arent as load bearing like others in their class seeing that the power plants are on the fuselage. Get on the ground next to a 737 or A320 and your much higher. I believe the MD has 2 exits that send people to each wing and it would be the quickest way to get the passengers out quickly. And safely without everyone freaking and trying to get out those single doors and jumping higher.