Yes, typically the clutch will begin slipping before it finally fails and you would be able to smell it. However, if there was some catastrophic failure with the pressure plate or friction disk, it could also be the culprit. Not sure how mechanically-inclined you are, but this is most likely an inspection cover that could be removed so you could visually inspect the clutch. If there was a catastrophic failure, there would be fragments of clutch material laying at the bottom of the bell housing. From this vantage point you should also be able to view whether the engine's flywheel is turning, confirming there aren't any issues further upstream, e.g. crankshaft issues. If the engine is turning the flywheel and the clutch appears in good shape, then it's most likely a transmission issue, e.g. broken input shaft or some other internal failure. Hope that helps and if you decide to do your own inspections, properly block the wheels or secure with jack stands to prevent injury to you or others.