Only thing I can think is a ground is out somewhere in some other system(s) above the brake lights and it is using the brake light path for a ground resulting in a lot more current going through the bulb. Did you do any rewiring lately? Thats about the only thing I can think. Does any other system or systems go out when that bulb blows? That would be a clue to where to look. If it only happened once I would replace the bulb and keep an eye out on it. You can get a bad bulb sometimes.