I had an old ceiling fan that suddenly stopped working while operating and smelled like it was on fire. I even called the fire dept. and they came out and said it was just the fan motor burning up and to keep the electricity off to the room until the fan was replaced. I purchased and installed a new fan according to directions and after about five minutes of it being on I had the same burning smell- though not as strong- I quickly turned it off. Would this be a new fan break in period or does it mean faulty wiring with the house?

I would call the reparment so they can determine what's up with that :)

If you get the smell from both the old and new, it is obviously in the wiring itself.

I agree with Fr Chuck, have the voltage checked to the fan. Fans, as cheap as they are, rarely burnout for no reason. Higher than normal voltage will kill a motor quickly.

You may have a shared neutral causing the abnormal voltage on two circuits, or may even be a problem with a loose neutral connection in the panel, meter, or the utility connections.

This is certainly something worth having checked. If there is a problem, it will only get worse and cause more damage.

What make is the old fan, and what make is the new fan?

Are you sure the smell is coming from the fan itself, and not from the ceiling above it? I've seen situations where a wire nut that wasn't making a solid connection started to melt from arching, and that created a strong burning smell.