If anyone is in danger, or you see fire, smoke, or flames, leave the area and call 911 first.
A commercial electrical emergency is any electrical problem that threatens life, causes or could cause a fire, or shuts down critical operations and cannot safely wait. Smoke, sparks, a burning smell, a hot panel, water near live equipment, and loss of power to critical systems all qualify. For anything urgent that is not immediately dangerous, call a licensed electrician right away.
This guide helps business owners and facility managers in Wentzville and across St. Charles County tell a true emergency from a problem that can wait, know what to do in the first few minutes, and protect the business while help is on the way.
Need an electrician now? Call Rolwes Electric at 314-249-5563 and tell us what is happening.
Quick Triage: Which Situation Are You In?
Call 911 first
– Fire, smoke, or flames
– Visible sparking or arcing with smoke or flames
– Someone has been shocked, is unconscious, or is injured near electrical equipment
– Water is in contact with live electrical equipment and people are at risk
Call an electrician now (urgent electrical emergency)
– A burning smell, or a panel, outlet, or switch that is hot, discolored, or melted
– Buzzing, crackling, or sizzling from a panel or equipment
– Total power loss inside your building when the neighbors have power
– Partial power loss, with some equipment dead and motors humming or running erratically
– Water intrusion near panels or electrical equipment
– Loss of power to refrigeration, servers, security, fire alarm, or other critical systems
– A generator or transfer switch that fails during an outage
Schedule soon (urgent but not an emergency)
– A single dead outlet or circuit on non-critical equipment
– Lights that flicker occasionally
– A breaker that tripped once
– A light fixture that buzzes or flickers
When in doubt, treat it as urgent and call. A short conversation can tell you which group you are in.
Call 911 First: Life-Safety Emergencies
Some electrical problems are medical or fire emergencies before they are repair jobs.
– Fire, smoke, or flames: leave the building, call 911, and do not use water on an electrical fire
– Someone is shocked: do not touch them if they may still be in contact with the source. Call 911, and shut off power at a safe disconnect only if you can do so without risk.
– Downed power lines: stay far away, warn others, and call 911 and your electric utility
– Water on live electrical equipment: stay out of standing water near panels and equipment, keep people away, and call 911 if anyone is in danger
After the emergency, an electrician can inspect and make the system safe before anyone goes back to normal use. Do not restore power to equipment that was burned, wet, or damaged until it has been checked.
Urgent Electrical Emergencies: Why You Should Call an Electrician Now
These problems are warning signs. They are not yet a disaster, but they often get worse quickly.
A burning smell or a hot panel
Heat, discoloration, or melted plastic point to loose connections or overloaded parts. Those are fire risks. Turn off nonessential equipment if it is safe and call an electrician. See the warning signs your commercial electrical panel needs an upgrade.
Partial power loss
If part of your building has power and part does not, or motors hum and run poorly, you may have lost one phase of a three-phase service. Running equipment can damage motors. Shut affected equipment down if you can and call an electrician.
Water near electrical equipment
Water and electricity together are dangerous, even after the water stops flowing. Keep people away, and do not turn equipment back on until it has been inspected.
Buzzing, crackling, or sizzling
These sounds can mean arcing or a failing breaker. Stay clear of the panel and call a licensed electrician for immediate professional inspection and repairs.
Loss of critical systems
If refrigeration, servers, security, fire alarms, or emergency lighting lose power, the cost of waiting can be high. Tell your electrician exactly what is down.
Generator or transfer switch failure
If backup power does not start or does not transfer during an outage, the generator, the transfer switch, or the wiring may need professional repair and inspection.
What to Do Right Now: A Safe Checklist
- Get people to safety. Move customers and staff away from the problem area, and evacuate if there is smoke, fire, or a strong burning smell.
- Call 911 if there is fire, smoke, shock, or injury.
- Check whether it is a utility outage. Look at neighboring businesses and check your utility’s outage map. In St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren counties, your power may come from Ameren Missouri or from Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, depending on your address. If the whole area is out, the problem is on the utility’s side.
- If it is safe, shut down the affected equipment and turn off nonessential loads. Do not touch wet equipment.
- Do not open the panel. Do not reset a breaker more than once. A breaker that trips again is telling you something is wrong.
- Call a licensed electrician and describe what you see, hear, and smell.
- Document the situation with photos and notes, which helps your repair and your insurance claim.
Protect Your Business While You Wait
Even if power cannot be restored right away, you can limit the damage:
– Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to hold temperature
– Unplug or switch off sensitive electronics so a power surge does not damage them when power returns
– Move inventory or equipment away from water and heat if it is safe to do so
– Take photos and video of damage, affected equipment, and the panel (from a safe distance) for insurance
– Tell your insurer and your landlord or property manager as soon as you can
– Keep a simple log: what happened, when, who you called, and what was said
– Post a sign if an area is unsafe, and keep customers and staff out
What to Expect When You Call an Electrician
A good commercial electrician will move through these steps, whether it is a true emergency or an urgent repair:
- Triage by phone. They will ask what you see, hear, and smell, whether anyone is in danger, and what is affected, so they can tell you whether to call 911, shut something down, or wait for a visit.
- Safe arrival and diagnosis. They find the cause, make the area safe, and restore what can be restored.
- Temporary and permanent fixes. Sometimes power can be restored temporarily while a permanent repair is planned. They should tell you which is which.
- A clear written scope for the repair, including permits and inspections if the work requires them.
- Documentation of what was found and fixed, which helps with insurance and future maintenance.
Have these ready when you call: your address, a description of what happened, which equipment is affected, where the panel is, and how to get inside. Ask about after-hours pricing before work starts, and ask for it in writing.
Common Causes of Commercial Electrical Emergencies
Most emergencies have a cause that was visible earlier:
– Overloaded circuits from added equipment
– Loose or corroded connections that heat up over time
– Aging panels and breakers, especially from brands with known problems
– Water intrusion from leaks, flooding, or storms
– Storm damage and power surges
– Equipment failure, such as a motor or compressor drawing too much current
– Unlicensed or poorly done work
– Rodent damage to wiring
Many of these show up first as a small warning: a breaker that trips often, a warm connection, or a buzzing sound. Acting on the small warning is cheaper and safer than waiting for the emergency.
Prevent the Next Emergency
You cannot prevent every emergency, but a short routine reduces the odds:
– Schedule a thermal imaging inspection at least once a year. It finds hot connections before they fail. See how often to schedule thermal imaging.
– Have your panels evaluated, especially if they are over 25 years old or you have added equipment
– Run a load review before adding major equipment, refrigeration, or a new tenant
– Keep panels accessible and labeled, with clear space in front of them, and make sure your team knows where the main disconnect is
– Test generators and transfer switches under load before storm season
– Test emergency and exit lighting on the schedule your fire code requires. These are commonly tested monthly and annually, so confirm the requirements with your local fire authority.
– Keep your electrician’s phone number in your emergency plan, posted where managers can find it
Commercial Electrical Emergency Help in Wentzville and Nearby
Rolwes Electric is based in Wentzville and serves businesses across St. Charles County. We also work in Lincoln County and Warren County. If you manage a facility in the area and want a contractor who already knows your building, an inspection before an emergency is the best time to start.
Learn more about our commercial electrical services and industrial electrical services, or see our local pages for O’Fallon, Lincoln County, and Warren County.
Commercial Electrical Emergency: Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a commercial electrical emergency?
Any electrical problem that threatens life, causes or could cause a fire, or shuts down critical operations and cannot safely wait. Examples include smoke, sparks, a burning smell, a hot panel, water near live equipment, and loss of power to critical systems.
Should I call 911 or an electrician?
Call 911 first for fire, smoke, sparks with flames, or anyone shocked or injured. For urgent problems with no immediate danger, call a licensed electrician.
Can I reset the breaker myself?
You can reset a tripped breaker once. If it trips again, leave it off and call an electrician. Do not open the panel, and do not reset it repeatedly.
What if only part of my building has no power?
Check whether neighboring businesses have power. If they do, the problem may be inside your building, such as a tripped main, a failed breaker, or a lost phase on a three-phase service. Shut down affected equipment and call an electrician.
How do I know whether it is a utility outage or my own problem?
If the whole area is dark, it is likely a utility outage, so check your utility’s outage map or call them. If neighbors have power and you do not, the problem is probably on your side of the meter.
Will insurance cover emergency electrical repairs?
It depends on your policy and the cause. Document everything with photos and notes, and contact your insurer as soon as you can.
Do emergency repairs cost more?
After-hours calls often cost more than scheduled work. Ask about pricing before work begins and ask for a written scope.
What should I have ready when I call?
Your address, what happened, what equipment is affected, where the panel is, and how to get inside.
How do I reduce the chance of an emergency?
Schedule thermal imaging, evaluate aging panels, review loads before adding equipment, test generators, and keep panels labeled and accessible.
Electrical Emergency? Call Now. Not an Emergency? Schedule an Inspection
Emergency: if there is fire, smoke, or injury, call 911 first. For an urgent electrical problem at your business, call Rolwes Electric and tell us what is happening.
Not an emergency: schedule a panel evaluation or thermal imaging inspection and fix the small problems before they become big ones.