AN ACR MD80 FLC DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO FUMES FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SMOKE IN THE CABIN AREA. THE APCH CTLR GAVE THE FLT PRIORITY HANDLING AND AFTER LNDG; THE CFR PERSONNEL FOUND NO FIRE. THE RECIRCULATION FAN CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE FOUND OPEN AT THE GATE. NO INJURIES AND NO EVAC.

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DURING TERMINAL ARR AT 11000 FT; FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED FUMES/ELECTRICAL SMELL IN CABIN. NO VISIBLE SMOKE WAS DETECTED. WE DECLARED AN EMER; PERFORMED CABIN FIRE/SMOKE AND SMOKE REMOVAL CHKLISTS; AND WAS GIVEN PREFERENTIAL LNDG PRIORITY ON RWY 17C AT DFW. AFTER LNDG; DISCUSSION WITH FLT ATTENDANTS CONFIRMED THE ABSENCE OF VISIBLE SMOKE; ALTHOUGH FUMES/SMELL WERE STILL PRESENT. WITH ESCORT BY DFW ARPT CFR PERSONNEL/EQUIP; WE PROCEEDED TO GATE. DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF CLASS 9 HAZMAT (WHEEL CHAIR BATTERY) IN THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT; WE ALERTED RAMP PERSONNEL TO ENSURE AWARENESS OF A POSSIBLE PROB IN ONE OF THE CARGO COMPARTMENTS. PAX DEPLANED IN AN EXPEDITIOUS; NORMAL MANNER. DURING POSTFLT CLEAN-UP; MAINT PERSONNEL NOTED THAT ALL 3 PHASE CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR RECIRCULATION FAN WERE POPPED. AS CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE CHKED IN FLT; THEY APPARENTLY POPPED AFTER GATE ARR. MAINT DETERMINED CAUSE OF FUMES WAS A FAILURE OF THE RECIRCULATING FAN MOTOR. FLT ATTENDANTS PERFORMED IN A SUPERB MANNER WHICH HELPED MAINTAIN A CALM ATMOSPHERE IN THE CABIN.