A Scottish woman, Claudia Anderson, recently shared her harrowing experience with a peculiar fishy smell permeating her bedroom. Ignoring the odor for several weeks, she initially assumed it was a plumbing issue.
However, upon researching the matter further, she uncovered a potentially life-threatening electrical problem that could have caused a fire in her home.
Anderson took to TikTok, where her video detailing the sequence of events received tens of thousands of views.
"If you smell a fishy smell in your house, call an electrician immediately!" she said.
She explained that for weeks, she and her husband noticed an unpleasant fishy smell in their bedroom.
Embarrassed by it, she refrained from discussing it with anyone and attributed it to a bathroom plumbing issue. Yet, after diligently investigating, she found no evidence to support her assumption.
@mrsclaudiaanderson Fishy smell in your bedroom? CALL AN ELECTRICIAN!!! #fishysmell #fishysmellinbedroom #electrician #sparky #callanelectrician #firehazard #electricalemergency #bedroom #bedroommakeover #ensuite #fire #firesafety ♬ original sound - Claudia Anderson
Determined to solve the mystery, Anderson turned to Google for answers. To her surprise, she discovered that an electrical problem could be the root cause of the foul odor.
"I would have never guessed it was due to this," she said.
Professional advice
Seeking advice, she contacted her brother-in-law, a professional electrician, who confirmed the possibility of an electrical fault and recommended an immediate inspection. Upon examination, he identified a disconnected power cable within an electrical switch box.
Claudia demonstrates this in her video, explaining how the heat from the loose connection had melted the plastic inside the socket.
"It was a frightening experience,” the woman said. “We were incredibly fortunate to catch it in time before it led to a fire and a potentially catastrophic event."