In pictures: Easter Island statues damaged by fire- PublishedA fire has damaged the enigmatic statues on Easter Island, with some of the charring said to be irreparable.An unknown number of the stone-carved statues have been affected by the blaze, Chile's cultural heritage undersecretary said.The fire, which broke out on Monday, affected nearly 60 hectares (148 acres), cultural heritage official Carolina Perez Dattari tweeted.The figures were carved by the indigenous Rapa Nui people sometime between the years of 1400 and 1650, and positioned to form a ring around the island, facing inland.They were figures of spiritual devotion for the Rapa Nui, embodying the spirit of a prominent ancestor."