Crew dealing with the aftermath of a fire on board the Bank Line cargo vessel Inverbank (1924) while transiting the Great Barrier Reef on voyage from Batavia to the West Coast of South America. The crew are hosing down the cargo in number four tween deck and removing smouldering jute bales from number 5 hatch. The bales had been stowed in the tween deck between numbers 4 and 5 holds and had spontaneously combusted because of dampness in the bales. The ventilators have been sealed. Captain Loads and the mate are the two men nearest the camera, looking down into number four hold. Ginger, the ship's dog, is watching proceedings from the deck. The photographer was an apprentice serving on board the ship.