GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The charges against the co-owners of Genesis Press in connection with a fire at the plant last year were dismissed with leave to restore, Solicitor Bob Ariail said on Monday.

Christopher Petrone and Lawrence Kudeviz were each charged with second-degree arson and making a false insurance claim to obtain benefits in September in connection with the March 29, 2008 fire.

Investigators said that the fire damaged a significant portion of the equipment and supplies inside.

When Petrone and Kudeviz were charged, their attorney, Richard Harpootlian, said that the insurance company responsible for paying the claim is trying to avoid paying the millions of dollars that is rightfully theirs. He said that the pair sued the insurance company in federal court before their arrests for failure to pay the claim.

Ariail said in a statement Monday that the charges against Petrone and Kudeviz were dismissed so that the civil litigation could move forward and allow all parties to testify under oath. He said that the testimony from the civil hearings will be reviewed and the charges could be pursued again based on that information.

A call to Harpootlian regarding Monday's developments was not returned as of 4:48 p.m.

Kudeviz's brother-in-law, James Guzzy, was charged in January with second-degree arson and second-degree burglary in connection with the blaze. Those charges are still pending, Ariail said.