On the morning of September 11, 2001, Sergeant McLoughlin assigns his officers to assist in an evacuation attempt of the (still undamaged) South Tower. When they arrive at the site of the World Trade Center the officers get their safety equipment and walk into the concourse of the World Trade Center, between the two towers. After an officer runs along to tell them of the attack on The Pentagon and the South Tower being hit by another plane. The group prepares to enter the North Tower as the buildings begin to rumble. Looking around, McLoughlin realizes that the South Tower is collapsing onto them, and their only chance of survival is to run into the service elevator shaft. McLoughlin, Jimeno and another officer Dominick Pezzulo make into the elevator but, as the rubble continues to crush the elevator shaft, the three are knocked out.

When they wake up, Pezzulo frees himself, and manages to get near Jimeno in the rubble, who, along with McLoughlin, has survived the collapse of the South Tower. As Pezzulo gets optimistic that they will live, the rumbling starts up again, as the North Tower begins to collapse as well. Jimeno and McLoughlin are unharmed in the second collapse but Pezzulo is fatally wounded and, after firing his gun to try to try and alert rescuers, dies.

After Jimeno and McLoughlin spend hours under the rubble, two United States Marines, Dave Karnes and Jason Tibbs find them and call for help to dig them out. A rescue attempt proceeds and they are reunited with their families.