AN MD SUPER 80 FLC HEARD AND OBSERVED A LOUD POP AND FLASH FROM THE OVERHEAD CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL. 5-7 MINS LATER THE LOUD POP AND FLASH OCCURRED AGAIN AND THE FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT.

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NEARING LEVELOFF AT FL310; CREW HEARD A LOUD POP AND SAW A BRIGHT FLASH NEAR THE UPPER PORTION OF THE EPC PANEL NEAR THE COCKPIT DOOR. NO BREAKERS POPPED. ABOUT 5-7 MINS LATER; A SECOND POP AND FLASH FROM SAME LOCATION. CREW ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO STL. THE CAPT COORDINATED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE EMER AND APPROPRIATE ACTIONS WHILE I FLEW THE ACFT. ABOUT 3000 FT; THE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE WAS NOTICED AND WE DONNED OXYGEN MASKS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. NO VISIBLE SMOKE WAS DETECTED AT ANY TIME. AFTER LNDG STL; FIRE FOLLOWED US TO THE TXWY WHERE WE COMPLETED THE ELECTRICAL FIRE/SMOKE FROM UNKNOWN SOURCE AND NORMAL SHUTDOWN CHKLISTS. NO EMER GND EVAC WAS BEGAN AS THE CONDITIONS DID NOT REQUIRE IT. ENTERED ACFT FROM AFT STAIRS AND RPTED NOTHING UNUSUAL. CALLED FOR A TUG BEFORE ACFT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN; THEN THE CAPT SPOKE TO THE PAX ON THE MEGAPHONE ABOUT THE SIT. TOWED TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED UNEVENTFULLY. ATC CTR AND STL PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY -- AS DID STL AND FIRE STATION PERSONNEL.