ESC smoking,red light still blinks

[stoneface]

last night I was checking over my crawler, and noticed that 2 wires outcry esc were not plugged in. A red lead with 2 post female that plugged back into the esc, the other wire was a white/black with a loose/extra red wire. I plugged it into the esc in the aux slot on a 2 channel transmitter reciever (fatuba 2ph) turned on the transmiter then the esc and a thick smoke, and the white and black lead with the extra red melted. The esc still turns on and beeps the red led blinks. When the trigger is squeezed no response from the rig. what did I do so, I know not to do it again?? the wires were plugged in to their slots power off/on switch to ch1 slot, and the servo in the 2nd channel.esc white blk w/ loose red wire with a cap on the end(tape i assume) This is the second outcry esc that has made smoke or spark.I'm not sure wich way to handle this. exchange from the 1 motor esc to the 2 motor esc. Or try and get a upgrade exchange, that also has a strong brake for a crawler that is around 6lbs loaded. Mamba,Goat,rooster, or other esc that has a good reputation & track record.
my set up:
55t motor from Axial
Fatuba 2ph trans and receiver
OutCry crawler esc ( RC4WD/TeamGonads)
87 spur
12 or 13 pinion
symptoms, bad glitching, driving off on it's own w/no imput when transmitter off, esc/rig servo still glitching,(tried electronics opposite ends of crawler. need to unplug from battery for no siezures.
went slower in foward faster, in reverse. previous day same speed in either direction, the throttle trim worked with reverse only,could not set forward trim.
Sorry for this post being long, I wanted to give as detailed symptoms best I could. I'm not sure, I'm thinking the sevo/ receiver are toast also mby.
let me know your thoughts. so team gonads can get a kick in the gonads

[ax-10 crazy]

That same sort of thing happened to mine, we were traveling through some high altitudes got to lower altitudes and the red light just blinks and no throttle response at all. hmm