TORONTO -- Police in Kingston, Ont., have confirmed there were “numerous fatalities” after a small aircraft crashed in a wooded area in the northwest portion of the city.

Transport Canada will be launching a joint investigation, police said in a brief statement online.

Officers blocked roads for several hours on Wednesday evening as rescue crews, including helicopters, searched for a small plane.

The Transportation Safety Board told CTV News Ottawa that the plane is a small, single-engine aircraft called a "Piper PA-32," which seats up to six people.

Investigators have not yet confirmed the number of people on board and won't say whether it is a private or commercial flight.

Officials say residents of the area are not at risk.