West Warwick, R.I. ? A court has accepted a bankruptcy petition from the owners of a West Warwick nightclub where 100 people died in a 2003 fire, freeing them from potential civil liability, their attorney said.

Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, owners of The Station nightclub, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last September, saying their debts far exceeded their assets.

Though the bankruptcy filing releases the Derderians of liability in the civil case, it does not discharge them and their company, Derco LLC, from a $1.07 million fine imposed by the state for failing to carry the required workers’ compensation insurance, Lefebvre said. An appeal of that fine is pending.

Michael Derderian is due to stand trial starting Sept. 5 on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter, and his brother’s trial will follow.