[RussWhite]

It's a common mistake, and no big deal, but the "short" you are referring to is not a short, but an "open". Shorts are electrical faults between the power going to the load and the return path. The power never gets to the load because of the unwanted connection between the out and return path. The path is shortened, and thus the name. Shorts blow fuses. Opens, on the other hand describe an interruption between the power source and the load - in this case your fan. Power never gets to the fan/load and it doesn't run - but no fuse blows either because no excessive current is drawn.

In general shorts happen due to insulation failure and opens due to bad connections.