It is not a common incident, but yes, plates can explode inside the oven. Even if they are labeled as oven-safe, sometimes plates can explode or crack in the oven. The primary cause of a plate bursting inside an oven is a thermal shock where the temperature of the plate and the oven are too far apart. This may cause distress to the molecules of the plate's material and cause an explosion. The incident usually occurs with glass plates.