Very interesting night, that one, John B!
I never did get a satisfactory explanation out of the engineers as to why the tyre blew, but the scuffing would indicate a sticky brake that locked on takeoff and then the heat transfer blew the weak spot out.
Were you on it? Thatīs the trouble with anonymous forums. I had the right-front seat that night.
However, I did here from the engineers that we nearly lost three engines - the damage to the fuel lines was that severe.
The tyre had been signed off as fit for one flight only after scuffing was discovered on the turnaround at LEU. Good old 20-20 hindsight said that we should have fitted the spare that we had in the boot.
The pax (Royal Marines) were brilliant, as were our cabin crew when it came to the evacuation etc.