The top element of my 6-year-old General Electric GE JBP24B0B4WH oven went
on electrical fire and the top bake element broke open when the fire
department put it out.

Pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnaohl

I need advice since this is the first time my oven went on fire all by
itself.

The fire department said replace the oven.

Coworkers told me I can just replace the burned out top bake oven element.
Whose advice should I follow?

Can I just replace the bake element (or is the oven really kaput)?
Can anyone tell me what actually caused the fire (it wasn't food)?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnaohl/2923845906/