Electrical emergency at home or work in East London? Here's exactly what to do — from the immediate safety steps to what our NICEIC-approved engineers do when they arrive.

An electrical emergency can happen at any time — and in East London, where the housing stock ranges from Victorian terraces to modern apartment blocks, the causes are as varied as the properties themselves. Whether you've lost all power at midnight, noticed a burning smell from your consumer unit, or found an exposed live wire after some DIY work, knowing what to do in the first few minutes can make a significant difference to your safety and the extent of any damage.

What Counts as an Electrical Emergency?

Not every electrical problem is an emergency — but some situations require immediate professional attention. A genuine electrical emergency is any situation that poses an immediate risk to life or property. This includes:

• Complete loss of power to your property with no obvious cause (not just a tripped breaker)
• Burning smell from sockets, the consumer unit, or from within walls or ceilings
• Sparking or arcing from a socket, switch, or appliance connection
• Exposed or damaged live conductors — from accidental damage, storm damage, or DIY work
• Electrical equipment that has been involved in flooding or water ingress
• Smoke or signs of fire from electrical equipment or wiring
• Electric shock — even a minor one — from touching a switch, socket, or appliance

If you're unsure whether your situation is an emergency, call us on 07852 280 518. We'll advise you over the phone on whether you need immediate attendance and what to do in the meantime.

Immediate Safety Steps — What to Do First

Before the emergency electrician arrives, there are some important steps you can take to reduce risk — but only if it is safe to do so.

• Turn off the main switch at your consumer unit (fuse box) if it is safe to reach it. This isolates the entire electrical installation.
• Do not touch any suspected live cables, damaged wiring, or electrical equipment that may be live.
• If there is smoke or signs of fire, call 999 immediately. Do not attempt to fight an electrical fire with water.
• Open windows if there is smoke to ventilate the area.
• Keep children and pets away from the affected area.
• Do not reset a tripping RCD repeatedly — if it keeps tripping, there is a fault that needs investigating.

Why Is My RCD Tripping?

One of the most common emergency calls we receive in East London is from homeowners whose RCD (Residual Current Device) keeps tripping. An RCD is a safety device that trips when it detects a fault — it's doing its job. The problem is that repeatedly resetting a tripping RCD when a genuine fault is present can cause the faulty section of wiring to overheat, potentially causing a fire inside a wall or ceiling cavity.

If your RCD trips and will not stay reset, or keeps tripping within minutes of being reset, isolate the circuits on that bank and call us. Do not keep resetting it. We'll identify the fault and carry out the repair safely.

What Happens When Our Emergency Electrician Arrives?

When our NICEIC-approved engineer arrives at your East London property, the first priority is always to make the installation safe. This typically involves:

• Assessing the situation and identifying any immediate danger
• Isolating dangerous circuits or the entire installation if necessary
• Carrying out a thorough assessment of the fault and its extent
• Advising you on what repair is needed and the cost before proceeding
• Carrying out the emergency repair where possible on the same visit
• Testing the repaired installation and issuing an Electrical Installation Certificate

My Property Has Flooded — Is It Safe to Use the Electricity?

No. If any part of your electrical installation has been submerged in or significantly affected by flood water, you must not use the electricity. Water ingress can cause short circuits, arcing, and electrocution risk that may not be immediately obvious. Your entire installation must be inspected and tested by a qualified electrician before power is restored.

We carry out post-flood electrical inspections and certification across East London — from the riverside properties of Wapping and Limehouse to the lower-lying areas of Stratford and Canning Town that are more susceptible to flooding.

24/7 Emergency Electrician Coverage Across East London

KLIC ELECTRICAL provides genuine 24/7 emergency electrician cover across all of East London — from the Victorian terraces of Whitechapel and Bethnal Green to the modern apartments of Stratford and the family homes of Walthamstow. We answer emergency calls at any hour, seven days a week including bank holidays.