At least in the UK, any new electrical domestic installation must be protected by RCDs (which protect human life from electrocution in the event of ground fault

At least in the UK, any new electrical domestic installation must be protected by RCDs (which protect human life from electrocution in the event of ground fault by disconnecting phase quickly enough) and not just MCBs or fuses (which are to reduce the risk of electrical fire from occurring in the wiring due to too much current being carried). I think this has been the rule now for c15 years so depending on your installation it might have been that that saved you.