Oakbridge, a mid-size midwest American city, is the site of a major chemical disaster. At Citichem, the production manager (Brian Dennehy), is forced to shortcut his safety procedures to speed up the production of a highly toxic and volatile chemical. Of course, as expected, an accident occurs. A worker is killed and the town is exposed to calamitous immpacts. Cicely Tyson also co-stars as the City Manager who has misgivings about the whole operation.