Chemical smell from fridge?

Noticed something similar myself on an old fridge that I recently "put out to pasture". The toxic "burning plastic" smell was coming from an electrical "short" burning some of the plastic housing on the electrics on the compressor (round the back of the fridge). Not sure if this helps but I'd pull the fridge out and have a good look for charred or discoloured plastics or connectors round the compressor (be sure to turn the electrics off first though!)

Bob Ryan
January 2009