Quick answer: Treat smoke, fire, sparking, a burning smell, hot or discolored outlets or panels, electrical equipment in contact with water, and anyone receiving a shock as emergencies. Get people to safety first and call 911 for fire or injury. If it is safe to do so, shut off power at the breaker or main. Call your utility for downed lines or neighborhood outages, and call a 24/7 electrician for problems on the building's side of the meter.
Electrical problems rarely happen at convenient times. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes protects people and property and helps an electrician fix the problem faster.
What counts as an electrical emergency
Call for help immediately if you notice:
- Smoke, flames, or sparking from an outlet, panel, fixture, or appliance
- A burning or hot-plastic smell with no obvious source
- Hot, buzzing, or discolored outlets, switches, or panels
- Water contacting electrical equipment, such as a flooded panel or a leak above a fixture
- A shock from a fixture, appliance, faucet, or any metal surface
- Lights brightening and dimming dramatically or half the building losing power while other areas get brighter. This can indicate a serious service problem.
Problems that need prompt, but not emergency, service
- A breaker that trips repeatedly
- A single circuit or area without power
- Flickering in one fixture or room
- A GFCI that will not reset
These still deserve a timely call. Do not keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping; it is protecting the circuit from a problem.
What to do right away
- Put people first. Move everyone away from the hazard. If there is smoke or fire, leave the building and call 911.
- Do not touch anyone in contact with an electrical source. Call 911.
- Shut off power if it is safe. If you can reach the panel without standing in water or near the hazard, turn off the affected breaker or the main disconnect.
- Never use water on an electrical fire. Use an extinguisher rated for electrical fires only if you are trained and it is safe.
- Do not open panels or remove covers. Leave diagnosis to a licensed electrician.
Utility problem or building problem?
Who to call depends on where the problem is:
- Your electric utility handles downed lines, neighborhood outages, and problems with utility lines and equipment up to the meter. In the Charleston area that is commonly Dominion Energy South Carolina or Berkeley Electric Cooperative, depending on location.
- A licensed electrician handles problems on the building side of the meter: the meter base and service entrance, panels, wiring, devices, and equipment.
If neighbors also lost power, it is likely a utility outage. If only your building or part of it is affected, it is likely a building-side issue.
Downed lines: Stay far away, keep others away, assume the line is energized, and call 911 and your utility.
Information that speeds up a service call
- The property address and the best callback number
- What happened and when, including any sounds or smells
- Which areas or equipment are affected
- Whether power has been shut off and where
- Site access details, gate codes, and who will meet the technician
Prevent the next one
Many emergencies begin as warning signs: warm outlets, flickering, and frequent tripping. Routine inspections, panel upgrades where needed, and maintenance on commercial equipment reduce surprises.
Frequently asked questions
Is a burning smell from an outlet an emergency?
Yes. Stop using the outlet, turn off the circuit at the breaker if it is safe, and call an electrician right away. If you see smoke or flames, leave and call 911.
Should I call the power company or an electrician?
Call the utility for downed lines and outages affecting the neighborhood. Call an electrician for problems with the building's panel, wiring, outlets, or equipment, which are on the customer side of the meter.
Why do half my lights work and others are dim or extra bright?
That pattern can indicate a serious problem with the electrical service, such as a failing neutral connection. Turn off sensitive equipment and call your utility and an electrician promptly.
Can I keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping?
No. Repeated tripping means the breaker is detecting a problem such as an overload or fault. Leave it off and have the circuit diagnosed.
Copperhead Electrical answers 24/7 across Charleston and the Lowcountry. Call 854-444-6516. An online request does not confirm emergency dispatch; for immediate danger, call 911.