Originally Posted by
SirPeterHardingsLovechild
You're both half right.
A chaffing wire short-circuited causing the Air Start Valve to open, spinning up the Starter Motor to self destruction, the turbine shooting through a fuel tank. Not Krapton though.
And that's why all Nimrod starter motors are fitted with overspeed cut-out switches now.
The CDS has also confirmed that the crew reported a technical problem, connected with a fire, just after refuelling.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5314358.stm