Acid rain, breathing problems threat for Puerto Ricans after fire

(CNN) - Environmentalists kept a wary eye on the skies over northeastern Puerto Rico Friday, watching a chemical-laden plume of grey smoke emanating from the explosion and fires of 15 fuel tanks at a Caribbean Petroleum Corp. storage facility.

They're worried about acid rain and dangerous air pollution levels, depending mainly on which way the wind blows.

"Whatever there might be inside this plume will rain down into our water sources," said Camilla Feibelman, Coordinator of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the Sierra Club.

As trade winds move the cloud westward, there's also the potential for contamination of drinking water on the west side of the island, but only if the plume travels that far, she added. Rains could also affect Las Cucharillas Marsh, wetlands in Catano, just north of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the site of the blast.