Second boy charged after eight-year-old badly burned in Mt Isa

A second boy has been charged after an eight-year-old suffered serious burns to a third of his body in a backyard fire in northwest Queensland.

The eight-year-old was playing with two other boys in the yard of an abandoned Mt Isa house on Saturday evening.

Police say he caught on fire when a 10-year-old boy poured petrol onto a burning tyre, causing it to flare up.

He suffered burns to about 35 per cent of his body and was airlifted to Townsville Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.

Yesterday, the 10-year-old was charged with offences including wilful damage by fire and negligent acts causing harm.

Police charged a second boy, 11, with trespassing, stealing and wilful damage today.

The pair will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.