Heard a popping noise while sitting in my chair. Sounded like it came from the wall outlet right next to me. Now, anything that is plugged into this outlet does not work. What could have caused this? Could this be symptomatic of a bigger electrical problem or just an outlet that needs replacing? Thanks

Find the breaker or fuse for this outley and kill the power immediately. Open the receptacle and inspect th eoutlet and wires for any scorched or blackened spots which indicate arcing.