Gee, thanks. That really clears things up for me but what does it have to do with the article posted?
You're an aviator, right? OK, do center tanks ever fly without fuel because the dispatcher is adhering to company policy (as long as he doesn't file illegally under Flag operations (FAR 121) and the captain signs off on the dispatch)? Think, maybe, a design flaw by the engineers could have put an electrical, or some other potential ignition source, close to that tank? Think, maybe, that erosion or some other wear and tear element might have exposed an empty tank, full of fumes, to that ignition source?
OK, now that I've got your attention, I'll even benchmark for you: what were the chances that an uncontained engine failure could sever all three hydraulic systems on a DC-9 (United 232, Sioux City)? A billion to one? Think, maybe, the odds were lower for a center tank explosion on TWA-800? Is my point clear now?
The main foul up involved with this whole investigation was that when the incompetent people with guns and badges, the FBI, arrived on the scene, they screwed the site up for the real accident professionals, the NTSB.