I guess most of it been covered here but a couple of comments.
Yes fuse plugs protect the tyre from busting in the event from high temperatures that generate hi pressures. These plugs just melt under hi temp and release the air pressure. Temp varies from aircraft to aircraft and wheel depending on the max tyre pressures.
Wheels that have blown fuse plugs just have a detailed inspection and crack check and new plugs installed.
Am surprised about the guy getting killed as the plugs hould have gone before then
Initially production certification was done for the RTO with new brakes. In fact it was normally practice to install brand new brakes for that particular test. The DC 10 overrun after RTO when it should have stopped in time ( NYC I think) caused a rethink and subseqent tests were done with worn brake PLUS an AD was issued that reduced allowable in service brake wear limits.
One point that has been missed is that the hi wheel temps do not only from from the brakes.
The normal flexing of the tyres during taxying at hi-weights is also a very good heat generator.
During some tyre problem we had with Dunlop tyres, Dunlop sent people out to investigate and they monitored tyre temperature on turnarounds with a temp probe that gave instant readings.
They also showed us a film of a V bomber ( Valiant I think) that was just towed up and down a runway at max weight with no braking and they tyre temps went off the clock!
