The Hasičský záchranný sbor hlavního města Prahy has commissioned two new gas firefighting vehicles built for complex modern fire response — and photovoltaic fire safety is now a core part of their specification.
Delivered by WISS Czech on Iveco Daily 70C21HA8 chassis for a combined CZK 10.8 million (approximately €440,000), each appliance carries 540 kilograms of CO₂ across two independent suppression systems, housed in eighteen polished stainless-steel cylinders. Twin 100-metre hose reels extend to 150 metres, with simultaneous dual-reel deployment and a 40 kg-per-minute flow rate through the hand branch.
Alongside the CO₂ systems, mobile 50 kg ABC and Class D powder units, and specialist protective equipment, the inventory includes four 9-litre PVSTOP units carried as standard for solar panel fires.
Why PVSTOP Earned a Place on Prague’s Newest Fire Trucks
Solar photovoltaic fire response is one of the fastest-growing capability gaps in European fire services. A solar panel cannot be switched off while light reaches it. Inverter isolation and rapid shutdown devices reduce voltage downstream, but the panels themselves continue generating up to 1,500 volts DC at source. This is what PVSTOP calls the DC Danger Zone — the reason conventional firefighting tactics are unsafe at PV incidents.
PVSTOP is a water-based polymer coating that blocks light at the panel surface, collapsing DC generation to zero within seconds and allowing firefighters to commit to offensive tactics safely. BRE Global verification confirmed a current reduction from 6.7 amps to zero in approximately seven seconds. TÜV Rheinland independently confirmed that panels return to their original specification once the coating is removed.
It is the only ISO 14034:2016 ETV-certified solar PV de-energisation solution in the world, with more than 1,000 deployments across 30-plus countries and zero warranty disputes on record.
A Procurement Signal the Fire Service Sector Will Read
Nothing rides on a specialist fire appliance by accident. Every kilogram of payload is scrutinised by operational commanders and technical officers. When a service of Prague’s calibre specifies a new vehicle it will operate for the next fifteen to twenty years, every item has earned its place.
By carrying PVSTOP as standard, the Prague Fire Brigade is acknowledging that photovoltaic systems are no longer a niche hazard — they are on rooftops, car parks, warehouses, farms and balconies across every European city. A modern urban fire service without a means of de-energising PV panels at source has a capability gap that grows with every new installation.
Prague joins a growing list of fire services across Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Thailand, India, North America and continental Europe who have integrated PVSTOP into their frontline solar fire response capability.
Learn how PVSTOP can be integrated into your fire service’s photovoltaic fire response capability. Contact our team or visit pvstop.com.au.
Source: POŽÁRY.cz
