89 Celica GT conv won't start

[briannc]

Hi,
I have a problem I can't diagnose. I let my sister borrow my Celica and while driving, the engine and whole electrical system cut out. This of course was dangerous, but luckily nothing bad happened and she was able to stop the car. She said there was a small fire near the battery.
After towing the vehicle to my place, I can see no fire damage. The tow operator had disconnected a battery terminal, so I reconnected this and the electrical system seems to work fine. When I try to start the car, I can hear a slight whir, but the engine doesn't try to crank. After trying several times, I once heard the starter misfire with a loud screech, which it would do in the past on occasion.
A few years back, I had the same problem as my sister- I was driving and everything cut off. But at the time, I noticed one of the battery terminals had come loose, and I reconnected it. I immediately went to an auto shop and I had a new battery installed and they supposedly fixed my connections, but maybe something went bad again.
Any opinions/suggestions?

[89CelicaGTTurbo]

check the fuse box. its located right next to the battry, maybe some of the fuses or relays blew out. fuses are easy to replace relays are expensive.also check the connection to the starter. if that is lose it can cause a lot of connection problems.

[Rick89GTS]

If all power cut out while driving, I'd guess that it was associated with the alternator. Double check the connections, especially the ground.