KISSIMMEE, Fla. — During a news conference, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office denied allegations that residents of a closed Kissimmee inn were abused by law enforcement during a fire, but did say that a man has been charged with arson.

The Sheriff's Office denied allegations that deputies abused the residents of Lake Cecile Inn & Suites, located on 4900 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway.

However, the deputy who gave the news conference said that eight people were arrested during the incident, with seven of them for resisting arrest or battery of a law enforcement officer and inciting a riot. One man was arrested for arson and burglary, the deputy added, who continued that the state fire marshal is investigating the hotel blaze.

Inn resident Roman Rios told Spectrum News 13 earlier in the morning that someone set a room on fire while people were sleeping and a neighbor woke the others up.

Rios, who says he has lived at the inn for a year, alleged that while residents were huddled away from the fire, "and the cops all come with force and trying to force everyone towards the front. We're trying to tell the police, 'We're going to go. We don't need you to cause force. We're going to move."

"All they did was they tased somebody with no reason. They put everybody on the ground. They hit a pregnant lady when she don't even speak English and she was trying to help somebody over there," Rios alleged, who later added, "They beat on her. Three cops jumped on her."

The deputy denied those allegations.

"I don't have any information to that. I know that once we learn she was pregnant, we did take her to the hospital for evaluation. But there is no actual physical injury," deputy said.

In addition, the deputy described that authorities were trying to get the residents away from the hotel to give the Osceola County Fire Rescue room to fight the fire.

People were upset over law enforcement's alleged handling of the residents, Rios said, who added that the "cops" allegedly told them that if the people did not leave that they would be taken away "in a cop car."

Rios also claimed that law enforcement told him on Monday that they would do a sweep of the area to get the residents out of the closed hotel and he feels the fire was intentionally set to get them out.

While at the scene, property manager Teena Conley told Spectrum News 13 that she feels the fire was set by an evicted tenant as retaliation.

A manager of the hotel alleges that a man seen in a Twitter video being taken away started the fire, however, Spectrum News 13 has not confirmed this information with authorities yet.

 Spectrum News 13 was told that five families had to be relocated due to the fire and were moved to an adjacent property temporarily. 

In November, more than 20 families at the Lake Cecile Inn & Suites were evicted as the hotel was going to close for renovations.

The Kissimmee Utility Authority shut off the power at the hotel that is closing its doors for renovations. Management put up a notice to vacate in November, giving tenants about two weeks to get out.

Toho Water Authority also put up notices that it was shutting down its services back in December.

Toho Water Authority reported to Spectrum News 13 that Lake Cecile Inn & Suites owes the company $7,337.99.

Editor's note: Teena Conley was originally listed as the inn's owner, but she is the property manager. The information has been corrected.