For the second time in consecutive weeks, state police were called to put down an uprising at a northern Butler County juvenile detention facility.

The latest melee, again described by police as a "riot," left five staff members and two youths at Western PA Child Care on Route 38 in Allegheny Township at three hospitals this evening.

The staffers suffered moderate injuries.

"They had facial cuts and bruises," said Trevor Hile, director of Emlenton Ambulance. "Some had neck injuries. Some had head injuries. Some had rib and hand injuries."

Both injured detainees suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Police said they were called at 5:30 p.m. after a large fight broke out in the facility's cafeteria. The brawl, which included about 25 youths, appeared to be between rival detainees from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas, investigators said.

When a staff member stepped in to try and stop the fight, he was pummeled.

"He was beat up pretty bad about the face," said Cpl. Tim Morando.

Police believe some if not most of the youths used the fight as a pretext to target staff.

"Clearly," Morando said, "students were seeking out staff members to assault."

A contingent of 20 troopers from Clarion, Franklin and Butler were sent. The officers carried riot gear with them.

Four ambulance services and emergency medical technicians from two volunteer fire departments were also called.

The youths retreated to their housing pods once troopers arrived, police said.

Morando said investigators continue to review surveillance footage that captured the free-for-all on video.

Following the review and after they’re done talking with employees, he said, police plan to charge an undetermined number of detainees.

Charges could range from aggravated assault and inciting a riot, both felonies, to simple assault and harassment, both misdemeanors.

On May 18, police and ambulance crews were called to the facility for a riot in the cafeteria that left several staffers injured and in need of hospital treatment.

Police subsequently charged a 19-year-old Philadelphia man and several other juveniles with aggravated assault, rioting and simple assault.