I think I would rather be close to a nuclear plant than a chemical plant. A large fire at a chemical plant can hurt a lot of folks downwind in a short time frame.
Growing up around oil refineries, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Salem Nuclear, etc. there are no safe places if you live in an urban area.
Somehow I am thinking you stand a better chance of hitting the lottery than being killed by a nuclear plant. I have no evidence of that, just don't think the death rates per accident are very high.
