answer:To meet current code, the range should have a four prong plug, and the supply should be 4 wire. By today’s codes, neutrals and grounds should never touch. (The old code said that the range could be grounded through the neutral.) I’m not sure if you have an older 3 wire range. If you do, here’s an easy to read description of how to wire it for a 4 wire supply. As for the block melting, it could have had corrosion build up on the terminal that caused it to heat up.