I couldn't agree more with what Danny has just posted.
The guys were faced with an emergency at or soon after rotation from 31L at Kennedy, which in itself is a relatively non-normal departure, requiring a left turn across Jamaica Bay almost immediately after becoming airborne. At this point, they were suddenly thrust into a quite different routine from that they were expecting by the surge or fire which occurred on the left side. At this stage we don't know much more except that the ATC exchanges are calm and efficient, indicating the likelihood of a similarly methodical approach to the problem within the flight deck itself. Well done to them, I say.
The short flight was sufficient to deal with the initial and secondary actions of the engine fire, to assess the situation with regard to the inevitable return, to configure the aircraft for such a return (at or around max landing weight), to set up the approach and to brief the cabin crew and passengers accordingly. The exchanges with ATC that I have heard were concise and efficient and JFK ATC were, as far as I could hear, helpful. The guys on the flight deck certainly had their hands full.
The matter of the question by ATC of the total number on board and the fuel remaining (in pounds) has been raised. Yes, the responses were incomplete - the fuel figure replied was probably the landing weight (metric tonnes) and I don't think it was clarified whether the total on board figure included the crew. However, the real question surely is whether ATC were right to be asking these details at what was probably a very busy and critical stage of the approach, as they were being vectored towards the localiser for their 31L approach. The Flight Plan (held by ATC) would clearly show the total on board and the fuel on board would have been that required for LHR, or about 7-8 hrs endurance (i.e. about half tanks). I don't believe there was much benefit to be gained from ATC asking these questions at this stage of the flight - full emergency services would be in attendance for the landing anyway.
In any event, these criticisms are minor. All in all, it was a successful operation and those involved - especially the crew - should be congratulated for achieving an excellent and thoroughly professional result.
Well done!