You can often smother a small electrical fire once the electricity has been shut off but it's best to use some baking soda or a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires.
Baking soda can help to smother the electrical fire but you should not use water on the electrical fire unless the electricity has been shut off.
Firefighters put out electrical fires by first cutting off the power source and then using water to extinguish the electrical fire.
In some cases the firefighters may use fire fighting foam or other agents to extinguish the electrical fire.
If you're experiencing an electrical fire you should get out of the house or building and if possible cut the power to the house.
Call 911 to get the fire department out if you cannot put the fire out yourself.
Water should never be used to put out an electrical fire when the electricity is still going through the wires, and instead, a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires or baking soda should be used to smother the flames.
It's also essential to turn off the power source and avoid touching the appliance or machine to prevent electric shock.
Sodium bicarbonate is one agent in Class C fire extinguishers, which are the recommended extinguishers for electrical fires.
These types of fire extinguishers are developed using chemicals that will not conduct electricity, meaning they can still be used even if the power is not shut off.
You should never throw water on an electrical fire because water conducts electricity and you could be electrocuted.
If you don't have a fire extinguisher, you can use baking soda to extinguish an electrical fire.
Electric fires often cause a smell like burning rubber or burning plastic as the plastic insulation surrounding copper wires inside walls start to heat up and melt which releases the strong unpleasant chemical odors.
And if the electrical fire progresses you may even smell wood burning.
If you think there's an electrical fire call 911 and get out of the house and if possible shut the power off to the house which can stop an electrical fire from happening if it has not began to burn the walls yet.