Transmission Noise problems of the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

I was driving the vehicle and heard a loud popping noise on the way to the dealership for recall work. Once the technician opened the inverter case we found the wiring harness for both the inverter and transmission were completely melted and cooked due to a fire inside the inverter. I am now looking at a $15000 repair bill with Toyota and luckily my family and I were not burned alive or in an accident resulting in fatalities.

I pulled out from a private parking lot onto a busy highway. As I accelerated, the car make a noise and everything stopped. There were no warning lights. -nothing. I managed to get the car over to the right and turn immediately where it into a gas station that allowed the car to coast downhill to where it stopped. The car was towed to the Toyota dealership. On the 2nd day, we were told the transmission and the inverter converter-hybrid system both went out. Although they told us this should not happen - one or the other can go out but not both. It would cost 14,000 dollars to fix. Now they tell us we can sell our nice 2006 car for scrap at auction.