The wind if any or the use of thrust reversers only exacerbated the problem. The reason for the failure lies in the Safety Hazard analyses and the Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analyses (FMECA) on the part of Boeing and P&W.
The FAA allows the builders of aircraft equipment to demonstrate the ultimate safety of a design by analysis or test. P&W relied on the technical analysis of the engine combuster can to include thermal creep and the analysis of the manufacturing processes to include quality control. They determined that the possibility of failure of the combuster can to be well within the design requirements of the FAA (1 10 9).
When this analyses was made available to Boeing they saw no reason to include shrapnel containment on the underside of the wing saving both weight and costs.
When the combuster can exploded shrapnel tore through the underside of the wing and raw fuel flowed down onto the still hot combustor can resulting in the huge ball of fire.
