This is the shortest post on the site because it needs to be. A burning smell coming from electrical equipment means something is hot enough to break down its own insulation. That is the stage immediately before a fire.
Do this now
- Unplug nothing you have to reach past. If you can safely unplug the device in that outlet, do it. If reaching it means touching a hot or scorched surface, skip to step 2.
- Switch off the breaker feeding that outlet or switch. If you cannot identify it, switch off the main.
- Do not remove the cover plate and do not investigate inside the box.
- Leave the circuit off. Do not test it "just to see."
- Call an emergency electrician. This is a same-night call, not a Monday-morning call.
- If you see smoke or flame, or the smell is coming from the panel itself, leave the building and call 911 first.
What a burning smell usually means
- A loose connection at a device, arcing and heating. Back-stabbed receptacles are the classic cause.
- An overloaded circuit heating conductors inside a wall.
- A failing breaker not opening when it should.
- Aluminium branch wiring at a terminal not rated for it.
- A rodent-damaged cable in a wall or attic.
A distinctly fishy or urine-like smell is also worth knowing about: some electrical components release that odour as they overheat, so it is a real warning sign and not just a dead mouse.
What happens on the call
We find the point of failure, isolate it, make it safe that night, and tell you honestly whether the permanent repair is a device replacement or something larger like rewiring or an electrical panel upgrade. Making it safe and doing it properly are two visits when it is late, and that is fine — the first one is the one that matters tonight.
What not to do
Do not keep resetting the breaker. Do not use the outlet "carefully." Do not put a larger breaker in to stop the nuisance tripping. All three convert a repairable fault into a structure fire.