GotTheTshirt -
The incident you refer to (unless I'm mistaken) was United Airlines 232 in 1989. The DC10's number 2 engine did fail explosively after the six-foot fan blew apart.
The hydraulic lines were severed, rendering flight controls basically useless, but the other engines were not directly damaged, and the pilots managed to ditch at an airport, saving many lives.
Following the incident, hydraulic systems were overhauled with fuses, etc, so the chance of this happening again is greatly reduced.
I would like to point out that the engine that failed was NOT on the "other wing" but centrally mounted, and that this failure was UNIQUE to such a configuration.
I concur there are other factors that can affect the airworthiness situation after engine failure, but still assert that in today's aircraft, the chance of one' engine's failure affecting the other engines directly is infinitely remote (excepting fuel exhaustion, and other no-brainer occurrances).
I would actually be far more concerned about engine schrapnel puncturing the fuel tanks, control surfaces, cabin space, stewardesses, and so on.
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There's nothing like an airport for bringing you down to earth.