Is there a chance a CPU gets messed with heat?

[eventhorizon]

Recently my friend brought his computer to me for a look, to the point, all components seem to work correctly except that the POST card reads the CPU is dead. Everything else works just nothing on the screen.
I know that a CPU dying is a very rare event, however this computer had a 1/3in. block of solid dust between the fan and the heat sink completely blocking the CPU. I know that computer has been left on for days at the time, my friend says one day it just shut down. Motherboard clears tests, may only the CPU be faulty?

I removed it already, put it back, put new silver paste, bllew all dirt from heat sink and fan.

 

[g00fysmiley]

its possible to burn up a chip, and if the the mobo is beeping bad cpu then i think you already have your answer, best case scenario replace cpu and it works, worst case is if you damage the zif socket (which is hard to do, but possible) then the whole board would be bad