Do you catch a whiff of something awful? Our house could have easily burned. The wall above the outlet was warm, too. electrical outlet melted and smells like fish? Individuals need to regularly check electrical outlets and plugs for … When the connection to the circuit of an electrical device is damaged, the electricity jumps to complete the circuit, resulting to a fire when the electricity zaps anything along the way. The insulation around the light fixture or plastic components in outlets, switches and light fixtures overheating will throw off that odor. If you have a fishy smell while your dryer is running... turn it off. ... if it gets hot it has a distinctly fish-like odour. If your outlet emits a burning smell or is hot when you touch it, it could indicate there is a danger of electrical fire. The plastic used in these components contains a chemical that emits a fish or urine-like smell when it gets extremely hot or burns. I checked the heater and the cord was really hot, so I unplugged it. Do you catch a whiff of something awful? This is the smell of chemicals overheating in certain plastic power outlets and light fixtures and is a symptom of a problem that is more insidious than crossed wires or arcing. BESIDES BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN, WHY IS IT SO DANGEROUS TO IGNORE THE SMELL? This is the smell of chemicals overheating in certain plastic power outlets and light fixtures and is a symptom of a problem that is more insidious than crossed wires or arcing. Some people refer to this as a urine or burning rubber smell. This is not an "electrical smoke smell". The smell comes and goes. Something smells fishy… and it’s not fish. Just plain UGH! Even if you don’t, there's a chance that someone else does. This could be something electrical in the home overheating and melting its insulating plastic or rubber—which could lead to a fire. Some people refer to this as a urine or burning rubber smell. When it comes to electrical fires and the injuries that they can cause, prevention is key. It took us forever to figure out the smell was coming from the outlet. It was corroded and burned. The most likely culprit is an appliance, such as a dishwasher, washing machine or an air conditioner. A malfunctioning outlet or fixture could … ... YOU MAY LIKE. That "fishy smell" may be something as simple as a 100-watt light bulb in a 75-watt socket causing an electrical overload. It looks like the outlet melted where heater was plugged in. One of the most common electrical faults is a weird fishy smell from the wall socket or switch caused by an arcing of electrical device. The most likely culprit is an appliance, such as a …