A US Coast Guard Cutter arrived on scene and rendered assistance and towed the USS WS SIMS until a US Navy tug who was originally on route to Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico was diverted to relieve the Coast Guard Cutter and to take the USS WS Sims to Puerto Rico. The crew of the USS WS SIMS saved their ship over for four days with no power, retrieving water from four decks below by hand pumping and carrying buckets to the flight deck. No fatalities occurred and only minor injuries were suffered while fighting the fire. Flames as long as thirty feet were witnessed bellowing from the exhaust vents atop the mack ( Main mast and Exhaust stack ).