Playground punch-up leaves 49 people needing medical treatment, including headmistress with a broken hand, after spiralling out of control

A playground crash left 49 people – including the headmistress – in need of medical treatment after a row at the secondary school descended into chaos.

The first fight broke out on Monday between five boys aged 14 and 15 over a football at the Efeuweg Community School in South Berlin, but quickly escalated into a massive brawl involving students, teachers and police.

Dozens of students were beaten, two teachers were pepper-sprayed, while the school's 52-year-old principal suffered a broken finger after being thrown against a wall as she tried to break up the fight, reports Image.

The police were called to the school, but the carnage did not stop there. A student's older brother arrived on the scene and punched an officer, who responded by hitting the 21-year-old with a bat.

The fight started when two boys, aged 14 and 15, argued with three others of the same age over a football. As the argument became more heated, the 14-year-old attacked the larger group with pepper spray, according to police.

The first fight broke out on Monday between five boys aged 14 and 15 over a football at the Efeuweg Community School in South Berlin, but quickly escalated into a massive brawl involving students, teachers and police. In the photo: General view of the school in Berlin

When the 14-year-old dropped the spray, one of the students from the larger group grabbed the spray and sprayed it on the duo.

Police said a sixth student, also 15 years old, attacked the eldest of the duo with a series of punches to their bodies. At that moment, other students standing on the playground quickly got involved and exchanged blows in a chaotic punch.

Two shocked teachers, aged 30 and 38, ran towards the fighting students and tried to break up the argument – but they were also attacked and sprayed with pepper spray, reports Tagesspiegel.

The headmistress, who heard the commotion outside, ran towards the students in an attempt to break up the fight, but she was pushed by the youths – so hard that she broke her finger after being thrown against a wall.

The headmistress and another teacher, who was asthmatic, were taken to hospital after the massive brawl at the school of 750 students.

The police were called to the scene, but that was not the end of the chaos. Police on the scene said the 15-year-old's big brother, who was part of the duo, arrived at the school and punched an officer in the face.

The officer responded by punching the 21-year-old in the face, leaving him with a busted lip. Police said they offered him medical treatment, but he refused and threatened officers. He was arrested before being released.

Police said the impact left 49 people, including teachers, requiring treatment for their injuries. Local media report that several people involved are being investigated by the police for physical injuries.

After the violent outburst, the education administration put together a crisis team and called in school psychologists.

“We continue to communicate to support our school as best as possible,” school counselors said.

The school, where 81.3 percent of students have German as a second language, also employs internal security guards to walk the hallways in the hope this will deter further violence.

The school was guarded by security guards, but the district had completely cut funding this summer for financial reasons.