Commonwealth fined $140,000 after child's hands caught fire while touching plasma globe at Questacon

Prosecutors said the incident at Questacon could have been eliminated or mitigated. ( ABC News: Tobias Hunt )

An ACT court has ordered the commonwealth pay a fine after a child was left with serious burns from an exhibit at Canberra's Questacon.

The nine-year-old was touching a plasma globe when a spark ignited the alcohol-based hand sanitiser she had used.

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources says the safety of both visitors and staff at Questacon is paramount.

Link copied Share Share article The commonwealth has been fined $140,000 over an incident where a child's hands caught fire at Questacon in July 2022.

The nine-year-old was touching a plasma globe in one of the National Science and Technology Centre's galleries, when a spark ignited the alcohol-based hand sanitiser she had used.

The girl was left with serious burns to her hands.